Call of Duty Nintendo Switch server spotted online after Microsoft fuels rumors

Mention of a Nintendo Switch multiplayer server for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been spotted on an official Activision site, fuelling speculation that the FPS will be making its way to Nintendo’s handheld console.

Activision’s Online Services website, a support page that lists the current server status of many of the publishers’ multiplayer games, was spotted briefly listing the connectivity status of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 for the Nintendo Switch (thanks, NintendoLife).

Twitter user WarzoneQG shared a screenshot of the listing, as did another Reddit user. Both screenshots show the game’s Nintendo Switch servers listed as “online”, alongside the online status of the game’s PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions. The Nintendo Switch listing has since been removed from the website.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 wasn’t launched for Nintendo Switch when it released back in 2018, and none of the series’ mainline entries have hit the handheld console.

However, Microsoft, which announced its planned acquisition of Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard earlier this year, has previously said it wants to bring the series to Nintendo’s flagship console.

“We have committed to Sony that we will also make [Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles] available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love,” Smith said last month.

“We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers, and for our business.”

In a later interview with CNBC, Smith reiterated that commitment: “We’d like to bring [Call of Duty] to Nintendo devices. We’d like to bring the other popular titles that Activision Blizzard has and ensure that they continue to be available on PlayStation, that they become available on Nintendo.”

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is far from complete. The deal is expected to wrap up in June 2023 and neither publisher has made an official announcement about its Call of Duty plans.  This is the first hint that Activision is in preparations to port the series to Nintendo Switch.

Find your next obsession with our list of the best Nintendo Switch games