Cult Classic 2001 RPG is Coming to the Nintendo Switch

Aug 04, 2023

An iconic 2001 RPG that inspired The Witcher 3 and many other games is getting ported to the Switch with some notable improvements.

THQ Nordic has announced Gothic Classic, a Nintendo Switch port of Piranha Bytes' Gothic. The iconic 2001 RPG was only ever released on PC, although the game amassed such a cult following that THQ Nordic greenlit a Gothic remake back in early 2020 after putting out an extremely popular—if somewhat polarizing—playable teaser for the game.

Piranha Bytes' first-ever game influenced a wide variety of hit RPGs, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. In a 2018 documentary, a CD Projekt Red official labeled the Gothic franchise as a "legendary" series, adding that the studio's "dream" for The Witcher 3 was to mirror the atmosphere and select gameplay elements of Piranha Bytes' seminal RPG. And though the German studio does not appear to be interested in revisiting the franchise, Gothic's legacy continues to influence Piranha Bytes' games to this date.

RELATED: Gothic Remake Reveals Creepy New Gameplay

In the meantime, Piranha Bytes' parent company seems keen on reviving the series, having just announced that a Nintendo Switch version of Gothic is scheduled to release on September 28. While the publisher is referring to Gothic Classic as a port, the game will also include some notable improvements that wouldn't seem out of place in a full-fledged remaster. Namely, the Switch version of Gothic will launch with a new control scheme and hundreds of fixes targeting everything from known AI issues and quest bugs to graphical glitches such as missing textures and incomplete animations. The publisher said that Gothic Classic will also include some new dialogue and loot placements.

Much like how the Gothic remake is being handled by Alkimia Interactive, Gothic Classic was presumably developed without Piranha Bytes' involvement. However, THQ Nordic did not reveal which of its nearly two dozen subsidiaries was tasked with porting the classic CRPG to the Switch.

Gothic owes its cult following to a unique combination of an oppressive atmosphere, hand-crafted open-world, and immersive mechanics like a 24/7 NPC schedule that were way ahead of their time. One of the game's most notable innovations is its realistic skill system; players start out with a complete weakling that can barely use a weapon, but as they gain experience and pay for training, their proficiency in a given class of armaments increases, unlocking new combos and faster animations. The same goes for using magic, making potions, and hunting, as well as sneaking, lockpicking, pickpocketing, and bartering, among other skills.

While that approach to leveling makes Gothic an extremely punishing experience in the beginning, the RPG's design allows players to create a wide variety of overpowered builds that can steamroll enemies during endgame, thus offering a uniquely rewarding experience. The only modern title that successfully replicated such a realistic approach to character leveling was Warhorse Studios' 2018 hit Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Coincidentally, Kingdom Come: Deliverance was also been announced for the Switch back in mid-2021, but seeing how that port is still without a release date, Gothic Classic now seems all but certain to beat it to the market.

Gothic Classic launches September 28 for Nintendo Switch.

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Source: Dzieje Khorinis / YouTube

Dominik's been writing about games for as long as he can remember and is sure he began doing so professionally in 2010 or thereabouts. If he was forced to pick a favorite genre, he'd go with RPGs, but he wasn't, so he didn't.