After six months on Nintendo Switch, stylized mech shooter Daemon X Machina is dropping its Switch exclusivity to come to Steam. This isn't exactly a major blow to original publisher Nintendo since the game only sold decently after a lukewarm marketing push, but it's exciting that PC players will get to experience the game for the first time very soon.
Marvelous' Daemon X Machina is an above-average third-person mech game with fast-paced combat reminiscent of early Armored Core entries, an anime-inspired art style with a lot of heart, and a tropey story that players on any platform are better off forgetting. Although it attained decent critical reception upon its Nintendo Switch launch in September 2019, its early announcement and reception of little fanfare from Nintendo aside from a rough demo months before launch stunted the game's likely potential. Worse, the game's sales likely suffered even more from its launch slate, having been left to directly compete with better-known Nintendo exclusives, including Link's Awakening and Astral Chain.
Now, more players will get their first stab at the game, as Marvelous subsidiary Xseed Games has announced that it's bringing the underrated title to PC. Daemon X Machina will launch on Steam on February 13, and Xseed is sweetening the pot by including a unique pre-order character skin and reducing the game's $60 price tag by 20 percent as an incentive to adopt the port early, bringing the price down to a more palatable $48. Upon release, players that pick it up in its first week will still get 10 percent off, which they may want to do make sure that there aren't any early issues with the PC version. The game will also come with "exclusive bonuses including an Arsenal mech, Outer suits for their character, and a set of five weapon [sic]," while limited DLC will become available for purchase sometime after launch.
Even though developer Marvelous is technically self-publishing Daemon X Machina's move to Steam, the company likely doesn't have to worry about the difficulties other independent titles face on the platform due to the company's size and extensive catalog. There's always risk with post-launch ports, but it's not exactly shocking that Marvelous has been working on a Steam version all this time since many developers are most interested in PC development over other platforms. Who can blame them? The Nintendo Switch is a very technically limited console, so the prospect of Daemon X Machina running at a higher frame rate and greater resolution on PC likely sounds as attractive to Marvelous as it does to players.
The Nintendo Switch was a decent enough first home for Daemon X Machina, but its developer really can't be faulted for looking to greener pastures at Valve's ever-growing marketplace. How much better the Steam version will play remains to be seen, but it's always a good thing when any game in the wildly under-represented mech genre reaches new platforms.
Daemon X Machina is available on Nintendo Switch, with a PC release (via Steam) on February 13, 2020.
Source: Xseed Games