If Google’s underperforming first entry in the gaming market has proven anything, it’s that consumers aren’t quite ready to adopt a cloud-only console. While Stadia continues to struggle, though, cloud technology, at least as a complimentary service alongside digital ownership and traditional physical media, has proven to be an important feature for current-gen devices. Perhaps for Nintendo Switch more than any other, it allows owners to enjoy playing games on the hybrid device that it would otherwise struggle or be completely unable to run with its own hardware.
One such title currently being primed to take advantage of the Switch’s cloud compatibility, it seems, is Capcom’s Resident Evil 3 remake.
While the developer hasn’t specifically stated why some of its more recent releases (i.e. Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 2) have never made their way to the Big N’s machine, it’s believed that the Switch simply doesn’t have the necessary components to make running them possible. Cloud versions, however, would be absolutely possible, and judging by recently leaked art for a so-called Cloud Version of Resident Evil 3, it looks like Capcom is ready to start testing the waters, so to speak.
According to Twitter user Alex Aniel, the above image was data mined from the Nintendo Store page for Remedy Entertainment’s recently released cloud version of single-player action-adventure Control, naturally leading to the belief that Jill Valentine’s reimagined Raccoon City nightmare is next in line to get the same or similar treatment.
While this certainly isn’t confirmation of that, the evidence is substantial enough for us to presume that an official announcement is imminent. If the outcome is exactly as suspected, then, one can only imagine that Resident Evil 3‘s – assuming it works – arrival on Switch will be followed by several other Capcom titles, including last year’s remake of Resident Evil 2. Watch this space for further updates.