If you've been online this week, you've probably seen Marvel Rivals trending on gaming forums. The question has been the same for 18 months: when's it coming to Switch 2?
NetEase just answered it. Sort of.
At the Game Developers Conference, IGN spoke directly with Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo, who confirmed what fans have been hoping for: the hero shooter is officially in development for Nintendo's handheld. "We're working on it," Koo said when asked about the Switch 2 version. "But when we have news, we'll announce that one." When pressed again to confirm, he was even more direct: "We will do it."
That's the good news. The catch is there's no timeline. Koo didn't offer a release window, a beta period, or even a ballpark estimate. For Switch 2 owners who've been waiting since the console launched last year, that's a mixed blessing.
The delay makes sense once you understand the history. Marvel Rivals game director Guangyun Chen confirmed in July 2025 that NetEase was in the process of obtaining a development kit for the Switch 2. Developer kits are the hardware that studios need to actually build and test games on new consoles. Without them, a port is impossible. Nintendo has been unusually restrictive with Switch 2 kits, and that bottleneck held up Marvel Rivals along with other projects.
Koo's confirmation suggests NetEase has finally solved that problem. The studio has access to the tools it needs. What happens next is the real work: porting a demanding game built on Unreal Engine 5, testing performance, and optimising everything for handheld play.
Let's be real: the Switch 2 should be able to handle Marvel Rivals. The game already runs on the Steam Deck, a handheld less powerful than Nintendo's new console. Competitors like Cyberpunk 2077 and Fortnite are already on Switch 2, which says something about what's possible.
If anyone was hoping for a mobile version, don't hold your breath. When asked about iOS and Android, Koo was blunt. "This one on the mobile game is not going to work," he explained. "If we're going to do a mobile, it's going to be a whole different game." Touch controls, different feedback, entirely different design philosophy. It's not just a technical limitation; it's a creative one.
For now, Marvel Rivals remains accessible only on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and most recently PlayStation 4. Millions of Switch 2 owners are still waiting. Koo's confirmation moves the needle, but the real question—when?—remains unanswered. The developer is working on it. Beyond that, we're in the dark.