Activision, Nintendo Team Up for Call of Duty on Switch

With the surprise reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (which dropped with all the fanfare of a new Beyoncé album), speculation is swirling about the franchise's potential debut on Nintendo's next console. Both Activision and Nintendo appear to be working toward bringing the blockbuster FPS series to Switch - but does this mean Black Ops 7 will actually launch on the rumored Switch 2?

The announcement trailer conspicuously omits platform logos, though Activision has confirmed PC, PlayStation 4/5 and Xbox One/Series X|S versions. Notably absent? Any mention of Nintendo Switch or its anticipated successor.

The Nintendo connection stems from a crucial 2023 agreement. As part of Microsoft's efforts to secure regulatory approval for their $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, they pledged a decade-long commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms. The deal promised day-and-date releases with Xbox versions, featuring complete feature parity - a move designed to demonstrate Microsoft's commitment to multiplatform accessibility.

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However, UK regulators initially poured cold water on the idea, arguing current Switch hardware couldn't properly run modern Call of Duty games. "We've seen no evidence Nintendo consoles could deliver gameplay and content parity with PlayStation and Xbox versions," the CMA stated during acquisition proceedings.

Despite these doubts, Microsoft ultimately prevailed in the legal battle. When pressed about the Nintendo commitment, Activision confirmed to IGN: "We remain fully committed to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms. Both teams are actively working toward this goal and will share details when appropriate."

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While a Black Ops 7 release for the original Switch seems improbable given its technical demands (the game will still support PS4/Xbox One), a Switch 2 version appears far more plausible. The timing could align perfectly with Nintendo's next hardware cycle - perhaps revealed during a future Nintendo Direct presentation.

This would mark Call of Duty's return to Nintendo consoles after a decade-long absence, the last entry being 2013's Call of Duty: Ghosts on Wii U. As both companies continue their collaboration, gamers await confirmation on whether this much-anticipated partnership will materialize with Black Ops 7.