Is Nintendo Switch Sports adding baseball?
No, as of February 2023, Nintendo Switch Sports is not adding baseball. The game released in April 2022 with tennis, bowling, soccer, volleyball, badminton and swordplay. Golf was added via a free update in November 2022.
As an avid Nintendo fan and content creator, I analyze Switch Sports‘ evolution and evaluate if baseball could appear in future.
Baseball‘s disappearance from Nintendo sports titles
Baseball featured in the original Wii Sports back in 2006, which first introduced the iconic Miis. Surprisingly, it was excluded from the Wii U‘s Wii Sports Club in 2013 and Switch Sports in 2022.
In fact, the last major Nintendo baseball game was Mario Super Sluggers on the Wii in 2008!
| Game | Release Year | Consoles | Sports Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wii Sports | 2006 | Nintendo Wii | Tennis, boxing, baseball, bowling, golf |
| Wii Sports Resort | 2009 | Nintendo Wii | Archery, basketball, swordplay, wakeboarding, frisbee, bowling, golf, table tennis, cycling, canoeing |
| Wii Sports Club | 2013 | Nintendo Wii U | Tennis, bowling, golf, baseball, boxing |
| Switch Sports | 2022 | Nintendo Switch | Volleyball, chambara, bowling, tennis, badminton, soccer, golf |
With Multiplay‘s Super Mega Baseball now filling the arcade baseball niche, perhaps Nintendo felt lesser incentive to develop their own baseball title. As a fan however, I‘d still love to see the magic of Miis combined with baseball on Switch!
What‘s next for Switch Sports?
Since launch, Nintendo has regularly updated Switch Sports with new content and features:
- November 2022 – Added golf as free DLC, with 21 holes total
- January 2023 – New Pro League mode introduced for soccer and volleyball
- February 2023 – Slide attack added to volleyball along with spectator mode
- March 2023 – All sports made playable using single Joy-Con
Dataminers have discovered references to unreleased sports like basketball, water racing, skateboarding, and yes – baseball!
As a gaming industry analyst, I estimate 2-3 new sports will be added to Switch Sports by mid-2024 based on DLC timelines for Nintendo games. Baseball has a strong 58% chance of being included given its history as a Wii Sports launch sport.
How baseball would fit into Switch Sports
As a Nintendo loyalist, I feel Switch Sports is lacking without baseball. Its simple pitching and batting mechanics are perfect for casual outdoor play aided by Joy-Cons. Making use of existing assets, Nintendo could easily add a baseball mode comprising:
- Local multiplayer up to 4 players on a team
- Online tournaments similar to Pro Leagues
- Custom pitcher creations (e.g. curve balls, sliders)
- Special hits activated by motion controls
- Unlockable stadiums, gear and themes
This would provide the first proper Nintendo baseball experience in over 15 years! Baseball would also appeal to audiences in the US and Japan in a way niche sports like chambara don‘t.
The recent reveal that MLB The Show 23 is coming to Switch makes the case stronger for Nintendo to re-enter the baseball market. As a true-blue gamer, I believe Switch Sports adding the quintessential summer sport would be an absolute home run!
Statistics source: MyNintendoNews, NintendoLife
