Ever since Gamescom, we’ve heard about Final Fantasy XV potentially coming to Switch in some fashion. Director Hajime Tabata has now commented on the situation once again in an interview with Eurogamer.

Some have thought that Square Enix would look to bring the recently-announced Pocket Edition of Final Fantasy XV to Switch. However, the company has been instead trying to determine if the original game can be put on Nintendo’s console.

Tabata said:

“We’re actually doing very specific technical investigations into what’s possible at the moment. Where we are at the moment – we’ve completed those tests and have worked out where the ground lies. We’re currently in the middle of the discussion and debate about what we should be doing, and how to realise that on the Switch.”

Tabata reiterated what he’s said before about Final Fantasy XV’s engine not being the best fit on Switch. However, Square Enix is talking with Nintendo and even companies like Epic about the best approach in bringing the game to Switch, and what could be done.

Tabata explained:

“The other thing – you see the mobile version, the PC version, one thing we value is to optimise the way the game plays and the experience for the individual hardware it’s on rather than a one-size fits all approach. We can’t currently announce anything – we haven’t come to a full decision on the best way to do it yet. We’re having very open, frank discussions with Nintendo at the moment about what they think is the best thing to do. It’s all under investigation.”

“Honestly, when we did the technical test to see if we could use the same native engine we used on other console versions on the Switch, we tried to run it there, the results weren’t satisfactory. It wasn’t what you’d want from a final game. It doesn’t mean that’s the end of that – we’re looking at the options, like the customisation of the engine. To give you an example how open those discussions are – we’re talking to Epic at the moment, about maybe what we could possibly do there, and if we did a Switch version maybe we’d be able to partner and do something there. Their Unreal environment is just amazing, and will be very useful. You have to have all those options on the table – without that it’d be impossible to make a decision about what we can do on that platform.”

Source

http://nintendoeverything.com/square-enix-trying-to-get-the-main-final-fantasy-xv-on-switch-talking-with-nintendo-and-epic/

Final Fantasy XV port in Unreal Engine 4? To be honest I'd think they'd be better off making the next Final Fantasy game with a Switch version in mind from the start of development, would probably be a lot easier ....although by that time the Switch 2 could be on it's way out.

An exclusive Final Fantasy spin-off kinda game on Switch which is less demanding and re-uses assets of Final Fantasy XV with a new story based of that game could maybe also work.

Even if the engine is compatible, it will be complicated to port the game. It would be worth it, though. The amount of japanese double dippers alone would make up for the costs.

The Switch will soon have Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The people who wanted to play FFXV has played it. They should focus on Project Octopath Traveler and the other new games they are releasing instead..

Maybe it will be a hybrid engine, using the best tech from UE4 and Luminous Studio.

Perhaps it would be better if they took the Dragon Quest XI approach for their next titles.
I don't want the Switch to start compromising games, and I hope it is to weak to do so, like the 3DS.

It seems that Switch is getting FF XV in one or other form, and they thinking about porting XV in UE4 for Switch, interesting.

Im surprised by their openness to the details of their plans, and the amount of effort they are exerting as well. Honestly, if they made a port that looked good on switch and had all the DLC, I would gladly fork the cash...

Definitely there would be some people that would love to play FFXV in full handheld mode (especially in Japan), regardless if they didn't already played game or not.

I guess if they think porting the original game is too expensive or difficult, they'll just bring that mobile version and charge just 40€ for it. It would still be too much, but they'd do it.

your sig reminded me that we should be seeing this kind of news about Persona 5 Switch...