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Catan's developers explain why there's no local multiplayer option on Switch

Catan't let you do that
by rawmeatcowboy
22 July 2019
GN Version 5.0

Catan, one of the most popular and longest-running board games of all time, is now available on Switch. Excited to sit down with friends and play a round? You better make sure those friends are online, as Catan has no local multiplayer options on Switch. How in the world could that be? Developer Asmodee Digital explained in an interview with Polygon.

According to the company, local multiplayer was initially planned for the Switch version of Catan, but “both technical and game design constraints” prevented it from being included. Since Catan has a hidden element to its gameplay, Asmodee says everyone playing on the same screen would make playing certain moves in secret would be impossible.

That's all well and good, but what about a pass and play option? Arnd Beenen, Head of Digital at Catan GmbH, had an answer for that as well.

“To be honest, pass and play always felt clumsy and complicated because during a turn of Catan you’re interacting a lot with your opponents, so it was ... more frustrating than fun handing over the device multiple times. And therefore after a lot of discussion we decided to drop that feature in favor of a campaign and additional Seafarer expansions so you’ll have more fun as a single player. For us, the digital versions of Catan are never a [replacement] for the board games. It’s always a supplement; another way to enjoy it.”

[Link]