Arena of Valor Nintendo Switch to Have Upgraded Graphics, Different Stats from Mobile Version

Popular mobile MOBA Arena of Valor has a Nintendo Switch release date in September. In the run up to this, Tencent has confirmed that the game will not be a simple port of the iOS and Android versions of the game. Don't expect cross-platform play between versions of the game either. Tencent has a clear division between the Nintendo Switch and mobile versions with different teams working on them.

Instead, Arena of Valor developers are "taking advantage of the Switch's processing power, and they've upgraded the graphics and animations in the new version, touching up lighting effects, smoothing out rough lines and adding elements like fluttering butterflies to the maps. More importantly, the heroes on Switch have slightly different stats than the mobile version, as developers have worked to balance the game as it plays out on the big screen and with actual controllers," reports Engadget in conversation with Tencent.

In addition to this, the company also stated that voice chat for Arena of Valor Nintendo Switch is in the works, but it won't be available at launch as its focussing on ensuring the game is suitably polished for its console debut.

The Switch version of Arena of Valor will include everything available on mobile in addition to new global servers, ranked mode, and an exclusive “Hook Wars” game mode which uses the motion-sensing capabilities of the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers. Variety reports that Tencent plans to host a ‘status match’ event post launch to reward mobile players, who will be able to transfer rewards to the Switch version of the game.

Arena of Valor – released on Android and iOS back in 2016 in East Asia, last year in Europe and North America, and March this year in India – provides a roster of over 35 heroes for players across different roles such as assassins, mages, marksman, support, tanks, and warriors. It features real-time battles in configurations of 5v5, 3v3, and 1v1.

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