Rather than create an unofficial Switch 2 version of Arc Raiders, one fan has used their technical know-how to run it on a far less powerful Nintendo device.
Thanks to the increased power of the Nintendo Switch 2, there’s little reason for third party releases to skip it, like they did with the Switch 1. Especially when even the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 runs well on it.
Even so, there remain plenty of popular games that aren’t available on Nintendo hardware, such as extraction shooter Arc Raiders, which was a certified hit at launch and successful enough to get the CEO of developer Embark Studios a promotion within parent company Nexon.
In lieu of a dedicated Switch 2 port, one fan has concocted a way to play the game on Nintendo hardware. Rather than the Switch 2, though, they’ve chosen a much older Nintendo console: the 3DS.
No, we don’t get it either, but it’s bafflingly amusing all the same. Redditor YeezysKanye2020 has shared images (but sadly no video) of themselves playing Arc Raiders on a New Nintendo 3DS XL, one of the handheld’s later revisions.
As a reminder, this 3DS model comes with an additional C-stick (albeit a very small one) on the right hand side, that the original didn’t have, making it better suited for camera control.
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The New Nintendo 3DS moniker seems ironic nowadays, as it first launched over 10 years ago in 2014. The original 3DS first appeared in 2011.
You wouldn’t think a game released in 2025 would work particularly well on 12-year-old hardware but, in response to a doubtful comment, YeezysKanye2020 explains that the frame rate is fine and it’s the controls that are the bigger issue.
Technically speaking, YeezysKanye2020 is cheating since the game isn’t running natively on the 3DS. It’s instead being streamed with the use of a PC app called Moonlight, which is why they’re able to play the game using the new Steam Controller instead.
It should also come as no surprise that all this is only possible because the 3DS itself has been modified, so it’s not as if you can replicate this without messing with the handheld’s internals.
Despite being discontinued in 2020, the 3DS has remained a niche favourite among hobbyists, so much so that even after Nintendo shut down the online servers, a small community succeeded in staying online in certain games for over 200 days.
Embark Studios has never commented on officially bringing Arc Raiders to Switch 2, but it’s unlikely there are any technological barriers preventing it. The bigger problem, from their perspective, is whether the demographics make sense.
Nevertheless, Microsoft and Activision are releasing their next Call Of Duty game for Switch 2, alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S… although it remains to be seen how well it’ll run.
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