The gaming community has waited with bated breath for the formal announcement that Blizzard Entertainment’s favorite ARPG on the menu, Diablo III , would make its way to the stunningly popular Nintendo Switch portable platform. And now, according to Polygon , it has been announced that Diablo III: Eternal Collection will be released at retail before the end of the year.
Retailing at a suggested MSRP of $59.99 USD, Diablo III: Eternal Collection will not only feature the main game in addition to its two contemporary expansions — Reaper of Souls and Rise of the Necromancer — but will also come bundled with some Nintendo Switch exclusive content to satisfy long-time series fans and newcomers to the pits of hell alike. Gamers looking to pick up the new release on the Switch will be treated to some very keen exclusive costumes and items, according to Forbes , including the Legend of Ganondorf cosmetic armor set, Tri-Force portrait frame, Echoes of the Mask cosmetic wings, and last but certainly not least, a Cucco pet!
Players would be well advised to refrain from striking their Cucco pet repeatedly with a sword or other sharp object in the off chance that it summons a swarm of angry chickens to attack their character.
Nintendo’s social media accounts shared the news, most notably a YouTube video featuring Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime, to grand acclaim from their well established and rabid fandom.
As of the writing of this article, the video in question had boasted over 6,000 likes and nearly 50,000 views. Presented in Nintendo’s trademark style — equal parts lightly comedic and humorous and flashy and aggressive — the short clip details the game basics and what purchasers can expect to see from their copy of Diablo III: Eternal Collection . Bright graphics blended with gloomy, gothic environments and non-stop action style Arena RPG gameplay are what constitute the foundational building blocks of any great Diablo title, and this newest revision on the series does not disappoint.
While there is no specific release date cast in stone as yet, the announcement makes it plain that we can expect Diablo III: Eternal Collection for the Switch by the end of 2018. While Blizzard fanboys and fangirls the world over are reaching peak excitement at the news, reportage from GameSpot indicates that there may be even more good news on the horizon for Nintendo fans looking to satisfy their urge for more offerings from the longstanding PC gaming publisher. Overwatch could conceivably receive a Switch port, according to Blizzard Senior Producer Pete Stilwell, though the possibility for a StarCraft II port is much less likely.
“Anything is within the realm of possibility… Our team was given the task to work on this. If Team 4 picks up that endeavour, that’s on them. As of right now Diablo is our only focus on Switch… Yes, it is feasible.”
Genre fans of the demonic adventure series would do well to lodge their pre-orders as soon as possible before the hype train runs too hot — Nintendo is famous for short-shipping their hottest titles in physical form to game retailers and first-come, first-served is the rule rather than the exception in such cases. Those looking to purchase the title digitally may encounter no such pressure, but would still do well to prepare themselves for a hitherto unheard of serving of arcane mayhem as the year draws to a close in only a few short months.
