XSEED Games Vice President Kenji Hosoi spoke to Siliconera about Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin. Originally, a Switch version was not in consideration until Nintendo convinced XSEED and Edelweiss to bring it over. It was a great move as the Switch version has been preordered 2-to-1 over the PS4 version, essentially doubling potential sales. Here’s what he had to say in full:
Initially our plan was to release on PC and PS4 only, but after Sakuna was announced as being in the works, our Nintendo contact at the time reached out to us on more than one occasion to consider releasing the game on the Nintendo Switch as well.
We were initially hesitant on the first few reach-outs, as it just was not part of the original plan and we would have had to reschedule everything, but after multiple talks with Nintendo and hearing how passionate they were about the game, we ultimately decided to release the game on the Switch as well.
That wasn’t an easy ask for Edelweiss, but we all agreed that Switch would be a great platform for the game. In hindsight, we’re glad we took their request seriously as we have nothing but appreciation towards Nintendo for actively showcasing the game, and in terms of sales impact, we’re seeing great launch orders on the Switch—about a 2-to-1 over PS4.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin releases on November 10th for PS4, Switch and PC. Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest Japanese gaming news and updates!
