Is Starbound being ported to consoles? In particular, Nintendo Switch?

I'm wondering if this game will be ported to Nintendo Switch or any other console. Any news about it?

 

No word on the Switch at all. The game was announced for PS4 with a trailer about 4 years ago and then the never mentioned it again, then they announced it for Xbox One over a year ago because they wanted to take advantage of the early access program they have in order to have it tested before full console release but then they never spoke of it again and never happened....that's the history of this game with consoles. Nobody ever mentioned the Switch in any capacity but the way I figure it is that if Starbound ever goes to any console it'll almost certainly be Xbox One and PS4 first because they are very compatible with PC games and easy to port to due to similar hardware architecture and it makes more sense due to far more established player install bases. The Switch is a complete unknown though.....totally different hardware architecture more in line with tablets than PCs or actual consoles so that can potentially be a massive nightmare to accommodate. My impression at the moment is that they either gave up entirely on consoles or only intend to bring it to consoles after they stop developing for it on PC....which at the moment they aren't done. So I wouldn't hold my breath for any console release any time soon......could be years if it ever happens at all for any console. So I suggest getting and enjoying the game on PC......plus the mods are amazing.

 

If I remember correctly; Nintendo claimed to have made the Switch especially easy to develop for, in hopes of attracting more third-party developers and other independent developers. Starbound on Switch is hard to say, the Switch is definitely capable supporting such a game (the Wii U probably was too.)

 

Could potentially be easy to develop for if a developer goes into it developing for the hardware specifically.....but it is very different from PC hardware architecture so porting a game already fully developed for something else is an entirely different thing....so if the developers see it as a long and expensive endeavor or as needing to completely re-develop the game they may not see it as worth it.....I mean Xbox has a 35 million install base and the PS4 has a 70 million install base and both are very similar and built to have PC games very easily ported to.....I've seen games like Rebel Galaxy which were made by literally two guys be completely developed and ported to Xbox and PS4. Does the small install base of the Switch(less than 10 million) warrant all the extra effort? Not yet....not before the established combined market of 105 million proper console users can be reached.

 

I'm hoping for it to be because tons of Chucklefish games are coming to Switch like Wargroove, Stardew Valley already came.

 

I hope it comes to Switch personally!