NBA Playgrounds owners on Switch will get Shaq Fu sequel for free

It has been nearly a month since the release of NBA Playgrounds and yet those on Nintendo Switch are still without online play. The promise was that online would be added within days of its launch but consumers there still find themselves waiting for half the game to be delivered. Saber Interactive today announced that they will be providing Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn for free to those with the Switch version of Playgrounds for failing to get that done. 

“We had every intention of launching online play for NBA Playgrounds on Nintendo Switch within days of release, but, despite our best efforts, it didn’t play out that way. We sincerely apologize for the delay and want to let everyone know the fix will be coming very soon. But words are cheap, and games are not. So we’re giving everyone that bought NBA Playgrounds on Nintendo Switch before the online play patch hits a free copy of Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn on Switch this fall to express our gratitude.”

Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is also being developed by Saber – which until Playgrounds had only made shooters – giving them the ability to give it away when it releases later this year. The sequel to the 1994 fighting game was successfully crowdfunded in 2014.

A major patch that attempts to improve upon areas identified through consumer feedback while also adding more players to the roster is already out on PS4 and PC and should clear through certification any day now on Xbox One. The Switch is waiting for that patch plus the online functionality which is still said to be “coming soon.” It has not yet been explained how Playgrounds owners on Switch will claim a copy of Shaq Fu.

Also notable is more content nearing for NBA Playgrounds, with developers implementing online tournaments and continuing to expand the roster with dozens of more players.