The rumor from earlier this year might be true. A recent leak indicated that a Diablo 3 Switch version may be coming some time “later this year” for $59.99. This alleged port called the Eternal Collection will supposedly have all the game’s prior DLC, four-player co-op (on a single Switch, online, and on four different local Switches without internet), cloud saves, and exclusive Nintendo-based content. The article posting the information was almost immediately taken down and Blizzard has not currently commented on the matter.
The pulled Forbes article (which has been captured on Reddit) explained more of the Nintendo-specific details. It listed the proposed port as having “Legend of Ganondorf cosmetic armor set, Tri-Force portrait frame, Chicken pet, and Echoes of the Mask cosmetic wings.” The article only revealed the Ganondorf armor, which you can see at the top of this article. Along with the exclusive Nintendo content, the article stated that it will come with the Reapers of Souls and Rise of the Necromancer expansions that released in 2014 and 2017, respectively.
Blizzard had already stated last week that it was working on multiple Diablo projects. If this isn’t a hoax, then the Diablo 3 Switch port was most likely one of those projects and would line up with the reporting Eurogamer earlier this year and the cheeky tweet the studio sent out in February 2018. Blizzard did, however, tell Polygon that the tweet was meant to be a “fun community engagement piece” with no ulterior motives.
The quick deletion and seemingly authentic art make a compelling case for this Diablo 3 Switch port’s legitimacy. But it’s always safer to wait for an official announcement.
If true, this would mark the developer’s first game on the platform since StarCraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Warcraft have yet (if they will at all) to make the jump to Nintendo’s console. It would even be Blizzard’s first game on Nintendo hardware since 2002 when it bought the rights for The Lost Vikings, Rock n’ Roll Racing, and Blackthorne and published them on the Game Boy Advance.