According to the Taiwanese ratings board, BioShock: The Collection is probably coming to the Nintendo Switch in the near future. BioShock: The Collection contains remastered versions of BioShock and BioShock 2, as well as a rerelease of BioShock Infinite, and all single-player content and DLC from each game, though BioShock 2’s multiplayer mode is absent. The collection also features a large amount of bonus content, including concept art and commentary from the developers. It was originally released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows in September 2016.
The Taiwanese ratings board handles all video game content regulation in Taiwan, serving as their equivalent of the ESRB. It also serves as the de facto system for the video game markets in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Ratings on this system appear on the ratings website ahead of any official release, and often precede an official announcement.
Recently, as reported by Lootpots (via IGN), ratings have been listed not only for BioShock: The Collection but for the complete editions of all three games in the BioShock series. This indicates that BioShock: The Collection is soon to be announced for the Nintendo Switch, and it could also hint that the three games that make up the collection might be distributed individually as well. This would be the first time any game in the BioShock series gets an appearance on a Nintendo console.
BioShock: The Collection would be the latest in a trend of mature, third-party games being ported to the Switch from an earlier release elsewhere. Nintendo’s hybrid console has seen M-rated games like Skyrim, The Witcher III, and even Doom added to its library, and they’ve been reviewed quite favorably to boot. Taking their library in a mature direction like this has seemed to be a solid tactic for expanding the Switch’s audience. In an atmosphere like this, a port of BioShock: The Collection would fit right in.
Rumors have been flying recently about a Nintendo Direct coming up in the near future. While these rumors have yet to be confirmed, Nintendo has never been one to stay out of the spotlight for long, as evidenced by their recent announcement of a livestream later this month to announce their next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC fighter. BioShock is a much beloved series, well known (and in some cases infamous) for its unique settings, dark storylines, and tense political themes, to say nothing of its engaging and strategic combat. The announcement of these pulse-pounding games being delivered to the Switch would fit right in to a Nintendo Direct, or serve just as well as a standalone announcement. Whatever the case, if the evidence from the rating board holds true, fans and newcomers to Rapture alike will likely have something to look forward to coming to the Nintendo Switch very soon.
Next: Everything We Know About BioShock 4
Source: Lootpots (via IGN)
