BODY: Can a demon-slaying action RPG built for PCs run well on a Nintendo handheld? At BlizzCon, Japan's GAME Watch got its hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Diablo IV. Their verdict: yes, and very smoothly.
The Switch 2 release, sold in Japan as Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection (a rough English rendering of the Japanese title), is scheduled for September 16, 2026, priced at ¥8,400. The BlizzCon demo also gave an early look at the game's upcoming season. Its Japanese title, 獄遺継承, roughly means "inheriting the relics of Hell."
The demo centered on a shortened version of the season quest "A Journey Through the Past." Players fought famous bosses from earlier games in the series: Belial from Diablo III, plus Mephisto and Baal from Diablo II. For longtime fans it works like a greatest-hits tour of Sanctuary's worst villains, and it suggests the season is leaning hard on nostalgia.
On performance, GAME Watch reported no lag or stuttering during play, and moving between areas loaded quickly. Blizzard didn't give exact frame rate or resolution numbers. The writer praised the controls, calling the button layout intuitive and the interface well suited to handheld play. They added that the port avoids the clunky menus that often come with PC-to-console conversions and delivers "satisfying action without operational complexity."
The Switch 2 version also supports cross-play and cross-progression, so players can bring existing characters over from PC and other consoles.
The insider take
In Japan, Diablo has long been a niche PC brand. It never came close to the popularity of homegrown action RPGs like Monster Hunter. The Switch 2 could change that. Portable play fits Japanese gaming habits well, whether that's a quick dungeon run on a long train commute or an evening session on the couch. Cross-progression helps too: players who started on PS5 can keep their characters and continue on the go. Launching the day after this hands-on report, with a boss rush full of classic villains, Blizzard looks well placed to win over lapsed fans and Nintendo players who have never set foot in Sanctuary.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).