The newest Pokémon mobile game, Pokémon Rumble Rush, is out now, but it is unclear if it will remain a mobile exclusive or see a later release on Nintendo Switch as well.
Pokémon Rumble Rush a free-to-play mobile game based on the Pokémon Rumble spin-off series of games released on both Android and IOS a few days ago, making it the 13th Pokémon mobile app.
It joins titles like Pokémon GO and Magikarp Jump on the mobile scene and will likely perform exceptionally well as it continues to roll-out to app stores around the world.
? Get ready to Rumble! ?
Travel to unknown islands, battle wild Pokémon, and discover valuable items in Pokémon Rumble Rush!
Details are this way ➡ https://t.co/18POeKg88s
#PokemonRumbleRush pic.twitter.com/2dOjz8ElGj
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 15, 2019
The biggest question here is if the new title will remain mobile exclusive or if it lends itself to a release on Nintendo Switch too. Pokémon Quest, an action RPG-hybrid that took the famous Pokémon and turned them into cubes racked up 10 million downloads and broke $10 million in player spending near the start of 2019.
That was achieved across mobile devices only, which means that it achieved more than that when you take into account its release on Switch. Pokémon Quest released on May 30, 2018, on mobile and Switch, which already hurts Rumble Rush’s chances at a port.
Not only did it not receive the day-and-date treatment that Pokémon Quest got, but the gameplay style of Rumble Rush is focused on letting players play the game using only one hand.
Like in Pokémon Quest, Rumble Rush has players exploring different areas, but Rumble Rush allows players to attack opposing Pokémon by tapping simply. This simple attack scheme, along with the layout of the game would be harder to replicate on Switch than the Pokémon Quest, which uses more menus and options.
The revenue would be a bonus for Nintendo, especially with how well Pokémon Quest has done on Switch. But the time it would take to rework aspects of Rumble Rush to utilize the Joy‑Con controllers and step away from the touch screen would take away resources from other projects.
If anything, the success of the newest title will be the key factor in if it ever sees a release on Switch. Should Rumble Rush see continued success months in the future, the possibility of a Switch port will rise significantly.
