Interview: Bringing World of Tanks Blitz to the Nintendo Switch with Natallia Pershyts

Wargaming just announced that World of Tanks Blitz is coming to the Switch, and it’s out today – but what is it all about? You might have played the game on PC or mobile, heard about World of Tanks but not looked into it any more than that.

Now that the game is out on the Switch we wanted to know more to and to have a quick chat with Natallia Pershyts, World of Tanks Blitz Publishing Product Director about the game.

Vooks: World of Tanks Blitz has never been on a Nintendo console before, for people who may have heard about World of Tanks Blitz, but never played – what’s your game all about? 

World of Tanks Blitz is an F2P team-based MMO action game about fierce tank combat, with engaging and exciting gameplay. It features over 370 armored vehicles, various modes, an advanced progression system and spectacular graphics.

It’s also a mobile-market-tailored version of Wargaming’s flagship title, World of Tanks PC.

However, as fast-paced and accessible as it is, Blitz puts fun first, mixing historical detail and lighthearted enjoyment. These serious and fantastic ingredients come together to offer a thrilling arcade-like experience.

It’s a cross-platform product which is a rare thing in the shooter segment. The game is available on iOS, macOS, Android, Windows 10, Steam, and now on Nintendo Switch.

Natallia Pershyts, World of Tanks Blitz Publishing Product Director 

Vooks: World of Tanks Blitz has been around a while on mobile, are newbies still able to join at this stage? 

Of course! I think the fact that Blitz is six years old is a benefit for new players – the edges have been smoothed out and there is loads of content that has been built up over the years, like tanks and skins.

This was one of the reasons behind our decision to launch the game on the Nintendo Switch platform – to further expand our community by letting Nintendo Switch gamers explore exciting tank combat.

For us, the constant influx of newcomers benefits the game too, by allowing for fair matchmaking for all.

Vooks: As this is the first game from Wargaming on the Switch, are you handing the port internally? How is it running on the Switch? 

Answering the first question, yes, we handled the port internally. It was 100% developed in-house, but Nintendo were there to help when we had questions along the way.

It took us nearly a year and up to 30 members of our team to get the Nintendo Switch version ready. And it was the deep understanding that our engineers had for the game that allowed us to quickly modify the code to fit the existing tech requirements of the Nintendo Switch platform. As for the game’s performance on Nintendo Switch, there will be no difference gameplay-wise. As one of the first fully cross-platform titles on Nintendo’s platform it enables matchmaking between PC, mobile and Nintendo Switch which prevents long waiting times.

Also, as World of Tanks Blitz follows the free-to-play model, players don’t need a Nintendo Online Membership to enjoy the game. 

Vooks: The Switch is a handheld with a touchscreen, but of course, you can play it on the TV, how are the controls being handled? 

In the TV mode, the game supports Joy-Con controls, but you can also use Pro Controller. 

There are also some hotkeys to easily access and browse tank research trees or vehicles in your Garage, enter the battle or, say, visit the in-game store. 

In the handheld mode, players can use both touch and Joy-Con controls. Both modes provide 30 FPS gameplay experience and give access to accelerometer settings to improve aiming.

Vooks: While a mobile device probably has connectivity all the time, the Switch may not outside the house. Are there any offline modes? 

Well, with the social and competitive components being at the core of the game, all World of Tanks Blitz modes require internet connection. Obviously, players will have much more joy from the MMO when clashing in real-time with players from all over the globe! Yet, with the worldwide spread of the internet, it’s easy to find a nearby public Wi-Fi spot almost anywhere.

Will the game support cross-play and will be able to pick up your progress from another device? 

As I mentioned, World of Tank Blitz will support cross-platform gameplay between mobile devices, the Nintendo Switch, and PC. This means that all users will play together on the same server no matter what device they prefer (be it their mobile device, PC, or Nintendo Switch). All holders of WG.net ID accounts can switch between platforms without losing their in-game progress.

So, choose a platform to your liking and enjoy World of Tanks Blitz wherever you are. And with the Nintendo Switch added to the platform range, it becomes even easier to take a break and bring some energy to your routine.

World of Tanks Blitz is out today on the Nintendo Switch eShop. Thanks to Natallia Pershyts for their time and Wargaming for for organising the interview.