Old Skies Nintendo Switch Release Delayed Due to Certification Hurdles
Entry information
Published on: April 23, 2025
Description
Old Skies Nintendo Switch Release Delayed Due to Certification Hurdles
Wadjet Eye Games, the acclaimed indie developer renowned for narrative-driven adventures such as Unavowed, Primordia, and The Excavation Of Hob's Barrow, has announced a delay for the Nintendo Switch release of Old Skies, its much-anticipated time-travel point-and-click adventure.
Originally slated for simultaneous launch on both Switch and PC, Old Skies is now available exclusively on PC as planned, while the Switch version faces an unexpected postponement due to complications in the Nintendo certification process.
Old Skies was first unveiled in 2022, generating significant interest from genre enthusiasts and long-time fans of Wadjet Eye Games.
The title combines classic adventure game sensibilities with a compelling, time-travel narrative, building on the studio’s legacy of thoughtful storytelling and polished gameplay.
The anticipated release window for both PC and Nintendo Switch was set for this week, but sudden certification obstacles prevented the Switch iteration from making its debut alongside its PC counterpart.
In a recent video message shared on BlueSky, Dave Gilbert, founder of Wadjet Eye Games, addressed the situation with transparency.
Gilbert explained that the team had begun the Nintendo Switch approval process several months prior, submitting a preliminary build intended for certification approval.
This version was followed up with a pre-launch patch designed to resolve missing assets and address necessary bug fixes—an industry-standard approach.
However, the patch inadvertently caused issues with save files carried over from the initial build, a scenario Gilbert noted would not realistically affect customers, since no public player would encounter the unpatched state.
Despite submitting a detailed waiver explaining the patch’s intent and the nature of the bug, Wadjet Eye Games faced repeated rejections from Nintendo certification.
"The specifics of the patch seemed to get lost in communication, leading to ongoing frustration," Gilbert explained in his message.
After exhausting several rounds of back-and-forth clarifications, the development team ultimately had to cancel their original submission and begin the approval process anew with an updated build fully integrated with the patch.
Gilbert candidly expressed his disappointment to fans awaiting the game’s availability on Nintendo Switch, sharing, "To everyone who was counting on playing Old Skies on Switch at launch, we put forth every effort, but couldn’t make it this time." The studio remains optimistic, now targeting an early June release for the Switch version, pending successful certification.
While the Switch launch faces temporary delays, Old Skies debuted on PC to positive critical reception.
As of publication, the game holds a score of 80 on Metacritic, with reviewers praising its intricate narrative design and innovative approach to time-travel mechanics.
Wadjet Eye Games' experience highlights the rigorous nature of Nintendo's certification pipeline for eShop releases, particularly for smaller studios navigating late-stage patches.
As fans await further updates on the Nintendo Switch release of Old Skies, the studio continues to engage with its community and provide transparency on its development challenges.
For the latest information and release news, stay tuned as Wadjet Eye Games works toward delivering a polished Switch version of Old Skies in the coming weeks.
