Hogwarts Legacy On Switch Is 100% A Game For Muggles

Hogwarts Legacy was one of the biggest releases of 2023. Though it was released on current-gen consoles and PCs back in February, owing to a series of setbacks, it has taken until November for Switch users to get the opportunity to enroll in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While the end result is satisfactory, this Wizarding World experience is far less magical than Hogwarts Legacy‘s other ports provide would-be wizards and witches.

Though it is very impressive Hogwarts Legacy runs at all on the Nintendo Switch, considering its infamous hardware restrictions, the end result of this long-awaited port is still somewhat lackluster. Plagued with lengthy loading times and the loss of a seamless open world, the Nintendo Switch port of Hogwarts Legacy is by far the weakest version of the title, and, as a result, it is undeniably a game for Muggles.

Why Was Hogwarts Legacy Almost Four Months Late On The Switch?

A Difficult Development & Repeated Set-Backs

Originally scheduled to launch on July 25, 2023, the Nintendo Switch port of Hogwarts Legacy was not released officially until November 14, 2023 – a little over six months later than the May 2023 release of the game on PS4 and Xbox One. The two delays even led to some eventually proclaiming that it was too late for Hogwarts Legacy on Switch.

While it eventually came as little surprise when further delays were announced, many, although disappointed, remained excited at the prospect of playing Hogwarts Legacy on the Switch. The game’s developer, Avalanche Software, commented that the delays affecting the Switch port of Hogwarts Legacy were so they could ensure that the game provided the “best possible experience” for players. Although this reasoning is admirable, the question remains whether the delays will affect sales – and less than a week after its launch, it’s still too early to tell.

Is The Switch Just Too Weak To Play Hogwarts Legacy?

Poor Graphics, Long Load Times, And Switch Storage Issues

While it is incredible that the 85 GB PC version of Hogwarts Legacy was condensed into a comparatively minuscule 15 GB on Switch, this is still an enormous chunk of the system’s 32 GB internal storage space – without the purchase of a MicroSD card, players should get ready to delete half of their Switch games for Hogwarts Legacy. The monumental reduction in the total size of the game to make it run on the Switch is not only guilty of monopolizing internal storage space, but it is also responsible for the pretty disappointing reduction in graphics and the removal of one of the game’s best and most immersive features.

The comparably poor graphics, owing to the hardware constraints of the Nintendo Switch, are somewhat expected; however, the addition of lengthy loading times and the loss of the game’s seamless open world are factors that result in the Switch port of Hogwarts Legacy being the most inferior version of the game. No longer can a player begin a journey inside Hogwarts before traveling anywhere across the map in a seamless journey. Those unfortunate enough to experience this Wizarding World on the Switch will have to endure periods of inactivity staring at a loading screen – an annoying factor that destroys immersion and dulls the game’s magic. This can be witnessed in the video below:

On all the other console ports of Hogwarts Legacy, the player can easily become deeply immersed in an absolutely fantastic and stunning realization of the Wizarding World franchise, easily spending countless hours exploring the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as well as its enormous grounds and surrounding areas; however, the hardware obstacles traversed by the developer in order to ensure it can be played on the Nintendo Switch results in a game that fails to perfectly replicate the charm, character, or quality of the title’s other versions. With that being said, it is a miracle that the game, even in an inferior form, works on the Switch at all.

It Is Still Pretty Impressive To Play Hogwarts Legacy On Switch

Hogwarts Legacy On Switch Is An Achievement In Game Development

For the developers to have made Hogwarts Legacy accessible to Nintendo Switch users is an incredible achievement – the ability to play Hogwarts Legacy on the go is something that works in its favor. When compared especially to the hardware of the PS5, Xbox X/S, and many PCs, the Nintendo Switch is a weak piece of equipment. Despite this, Avalanche Software managed to port Hogwarts Legacy, an enormous action-role-playing game, to the Switch – while only making a few compromises.

Although the necessary inclusion of regular loading screens certainly impacts the game’s flow and limits the potential immersion that players can experience, especially when compared with other console ports of Hogwarts Legacy, this is a relatively small price to pay for the freedom to experience this outstanding world on a handheld device. While loading screens and comparatively poor graphics are especially disappointing for those who have played the game on other systems, for those who haven’t, these minor complaints will likely not negatively impact their enjoyment of the game. Still, when all is said and done, the Switch port of Hogwarts Legacy is less magical because of the concessions that had to be made.