Summary
Gothic 2is getting ported to the Nintendo Switch more than two decades after its original release. The game’s debut on Nintendo’s hybrid console was announced a week after theSwitch port ofGothicarrived on the eShop.
TheGothicsequel launched in late 2002, but only in Germany, with its English localization debuting the following summer. And though the game hence took a while to find a larger audience, it eventually earned the reputation of a cult classic. Apart from refining the immersive combat and leveling mechanics from its predecessor, the RPG was also lauded for the great attention to detail that went into its map, which is a big part of the reason whyGothic2 is still widely considered to be among thebest open-world games of all time.
The first-ever port ofGothic 2is scheduled to hit the Switch on November 29, a month after the two-decade anniversary of the RPG’s North American release. THQ Nordic opted to call this new versionGothic 2 Complete Classic, as the package will also include the 2003 Night of the Raven expansion. The port’s reveal trailer shows improved lighting compared to the original game, though it remains to be seen whether those revamped visuals actually make their way to Nintendo’s console. TheGothic Classicannouncement promoalso hinted at similar improvements, only for its release trailer to clarify that the enhanced visuals would be coming only to PC at a later date.
While labeled as a port, the Switch version of the first game was more of a remaster, as it introduced bug fixes, performance improvements, and even some new dialogue, among other things. TheGothic 2 Complete Classicannouncement trailer makes no mention of such enhancements, besides hinting at better graphics. Of course, full controller support is already implied by virtue of the RPG coming to the Switch. The firstGothicport did rather well on that front, to the point of even making use of the Joy-Con and Pro Controller’s gyroscopes, allowing players to attack by swinging their gamepads as an alternative to button presses.
Much likeGothic Classic, the Switch version of its sequel will retail at $29.99 and get treated to a physical release, which will be available via the THQ Nordic Store. The publisher also unveiled a small collector’s bundle containing a physical copy ofGothic 2 Complete Classicand a wallet bearing the insignia of The Sleeper from the original game. That set is already available for pre-orders via the company’s storefront, priced at $44.99 and limited to 999 units.
The arrival ofGothic 2on the Switch might help ramp up some interest forAlkimia Interactive’sGothicremake, which has been in active development since early 2020. The Barcelona-based studio recently revealed that its Unreal Engine 5-powered reimagining of the 2001 game is aiming for a 2024 release.
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