Ridge Racer 8 could be a Nintendo Switch exclusive - Team VVV

News Ridge Racer 8 could be a Nintendo Switch exclusive

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Martin Bigg

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There was a time when we were graced with a new Ridge Racer game as a launch title to coincide with the release of the latest PlayStation console. Back in 1994, Ridge Racer was a pivotal system seller for the original PlayStation offering an arcade-style gaming experience for the home, which was revolutionary at the time. 

Sadly, the release of the PlayStation 4 put an end to that tradition. Technically, the last game in the series was the dreadful-looking Ridge Racer Draw and Drift on mobiles. There was also Ridge Racer on the handheld PlayStation Vita released as a launch title, but the last main game in the series was Ridge Racer 7 on the PlayStation 3 released way back in 2007. Impressively, it was one of few games that ran in glorious 1080p and 60 fps on the system. 

Ridge Racer 7 main art

However, the arcade racing series is seemingly about to make a long-awaited comeback, as the Linkedin profile of Lead Designer Shawn Pitman at Bandai Namco Studios Singapore lists Ridge Racer 8 as a project currently in development exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. The unannounced sequel is described as having "drift-based high-speed car racing," but this wouldn't exactly be revolutionary for the franchise. Shawn's resume also lists an unannounced first-person shooter in development, which Eurogamer has since verified as Metroid Prime 4.

Considering the current draught of arcade racers (which admittedly is set to change with the anticipated releases of Gravel and Onrush), we would certainly welcome a new Ridge Racer title. An exclusive Nintendo Switch release would come as no surprise either given the popularity of the handheld-console hybrid, but it would be a shame to see the series drift away from its PlayStation roots. Then again, Ridge Racer 6 was an Xbox 360-exclusive title, so this wouldn't be the first time a main entry in the Ridge Racer series has strayed away from Sony's system.

Would you welcome a new Ridge Racer game on Nintendo Switch?

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