The popular indie game Valheim has made its console debut on Xbox platforms, but it remains unclear if developer Iron Gate Studio has any plans to bring Valheim to PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch. The Norse mythology-themed survival game saw its Xbox release on March 14, bringing the title to its first non-PC platform. When the game first launched into early access on Steam in early 2021, it sold over five million copies in its first month. Valheim then went on to double this number before the game even reached its one-year anniversary.
Valheim drops players into the world of Norse mythology and tasks them with surviving through its many biomes and bosses. However, the developers at Iron Gate Studio wanted to take a different direction from the usual survival games and implemented a few unique features that performed well. These changes include Valheim's food, health, and stamina systems giving bonuses rather than being a necessary part of staying alive, and repairing items being free of cost. Changes like these keep gameplay in Valheim fast and reduce the amount of time players need to spend grinding to survive.
Valheim Does Not Have A Planned PS5 Or Nintendo Switch Release
As of now, Iron Gate Studio has no plans to bring Valheim to the PS5 or Nintendo Switch, according to an interview Valheim developer Jonathan Smårs did on the Xbox Expansion podcast. As it is, the game was only made available on Xbox platforms since, according to Smårs, Microsoft reached out with an interest in bringing Valheim to its platforms. Microsoft's Xbox ecosystem is an understandable first destination for Valheim on consoles, since the company already strives for crossplay between PC and console versions of Game titles.
Why Valheim Isn't Getting A PS5 Or Nintendo Switch Release
Currently, Iron Gate Studio has not given a reason for why Valheim isn't expected on PlayStation 5 or Switch, but the game's steady updates suggest development is primarily geared toward new content. Valheim, with its new Mistlands biome update, is an ever-evolving game with a plethora of ideas that still need to be fleshed out, something the developers have put a clear focus on. The title may not be the most technically demanding, but significant effort would still be needed to make the game playable on other platforms. If Sony or Nintendo were to reach out, or a significant outcry came forward, Valheim would conceivably have better chances of reaching other platforms sooner rather than later.
It seems likely that Valheim will eventually reach other platforms. The potential profit from having the title on more platforms is intriguing enough, and the Skyrim- and Zelda-inspired Valheim has already proven popular despite its incomplete state in early access. Fans should also keep in mind that Iron Gate Studio is a small team that has already been able to create a massively popular game, with more updates - and hopefully more platforms - coming with time. So while Valheim is not planned for the PS5 or Nintendo Switch yet, potential players should keep a lookout for the likely expansion.
Source: Xbox Expansion /YouTube
