Highlights
- Gothic Classic, a highly influential RPG, is now available on Nintendo Switch, offering full gamepad support and a comprehensive UI overhaul.
- With over 300 bugs and glitches addressed, the game delivers a more polished experience and is a great opportunity for both existing fans and newcomers to the franchise.
- The game's immersive open world, challenging gameplay, and dark tone make it a must-play for genre enthusiasts, offering plenty of replay value and a satisfying power fantasy.
Gothic Classic is now available for purchase on the Nintendo Switch. The Switch port of the iconic RPG that inspired The Witcher 3 and dozens of other games was originally announced in early August.
More than 22 years since its release, Gothic's legacy is still influencing Piranha Bytes' games. And while the German studio is nowadays pursuing other projects, THQ Nordic assigned the Gothic franchise to Alkimia Interactive, Piranha Bytes' sister company founded in 2020 with the specific purpose of reviving the iconic series. Since then, the Barcelona-based studio was largely focused on the upcoming remake of the original game, whereas this Switch port of Gothic came a bit out of the blue.
Two months since its surprise announcement, Gothic Classic is now available to play on Nintendo's hybrid console. The digital version of the RPG can be downloaded from the Switch eShop, while a physical copy can be ordered directly from THQ Nordic. Both are priced at $29.99, not accounting for the shipping costs attached to the boxed edition.
Where to Buy Gothic Classic for Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo eShop (digital)
- THQ Nordic (physical)
Given its platform of choice, the Switch port of one of Piranha Bytes' best-ever games naturally comes with full gamepad support, thus being the first entry from the original Gothic trilogy to officially offer such a feature. A comprehensive UI overhaul is also part of the package, largely geared toward making the game work on the 7-inch Switch screen. Beyond that, Alkimia Interactive also went through the effort of addressing over 300 bugs and glitches from the original game, delivering everything from AI fixes to supplemental textures that were mistakenly omitted from the 2001 title.
While this rerelease largely caters to the existing fans of the franchise, it's also a great opportunity for Switch-owning genre aficionados who never got to experience the original game to do so, as Gothic has long been touted as the Western RPG equivalent of required reading. That's in no small part thanks to its immersive open world that exists irrespective of the player, which is something that modern RPGs still struggle to emulate. Furthermore, the gloomy tone of Gothic Classic makes it an instant contender for one of the darkest Switch games on the market.
Those looking for a challenge should also be in for a treat with Gothic Classic, as the game starts in an extremely unforgiving manner, putting the player in the shoes of a nameless grunt who can't even hold a pickaxe properly, nevermind swing a weapon. But as the protagonist braves the wilds for EXP and spends time with various characters capable of training them in the ways of war, magic, thievery, and other skills, they'll gradually grow into a formidable hero. That resulting power fantasy is the game's ultimate reward, while its mutually exclusive factions and character build variety also infuse Gothic Classic with plenty of replay value.
Gothic Classic is available now for Nintendo Switch.