First look at Hogwarts Legacy on Switch seems like witchcraft
The summer holidays are over, and we're packing our trunks to head back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Avalanche Software's magical adventure was pitched as the next bit thing, and while it's largely dropped off before getting the House Cup for Game of the Year, there's life in the old gal yet.
With a troubled release schedule that saw Hogwarts Legacy delayed neatly two years from its original plans, its new-gen February 2023 release was followed by a PS4 and Xbox One in May. It's easy to forget we're still waiting for Hogwarts Legacy to land on Nintendo Switch.
Disclaimer: While the creator of the Harry Potter franchise was not directly involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, their comments on social media around transgender people are hurtful and dangerous given the size of their platform.
We’d implore you to read our explainer of the controversy so far, and consider supporting trans rights charities where possible.
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Hogwarts Legacy impresses with first Switch screenshots
Hogwarts Legacy is just over the horizon for Nintendo's home-portable hybrid, and now, a crop of screenshots are showing what we've been missing out on. At a time when Mortal Kombat 1's Switch port is being dragged over the coals, Hogwarts Legacy is aiming to grab the Golden Snitch.
The first Hogwarts Legacy Switch screenshots have made their way online, and we've got to admit, we're pleasantly surprised. While the Switch is usually known for lacking behind even the PS4 and Xbox One in graphics, it's a big step up from the usual cartoonish tones of Mario and the likes.
Others online were equally stoked, however, some think we've been placed under a Confundus Charm. Noting that these are just screenshots and the fact we haven't seen any actual Switch gameplay, one wrote, "It’s easy to make screenshots look good. Let’s see how it actually runs."
This was a common complaint, with another adding, "Doesn't look as bad as I expected tbh Wonder how much it'll stay at 30FPS though." A third concluded, "Screenshots don't really tell much. I mean it looks fine, not good, not terrible. Reminds me of Panic Button's ports. Gotta wait for videos or a demo before making a decision."
Does Hogwarts Legacy have a Switch release
Click to enlargeIf all things stay on track, Hogwarts Legacy should be heading for a November 14 release date. Even though some lamented having to wait this long for the Wizarding World, it's a stroke of genius as we come into the Christmas season. Even without the Switch versions, Hogwarts Legacy was already one of 2023's best-selling games.
Facing a nice uptick of sales and players, a renewed interest in the title could lead to it being full steam ahead on those rumours we're getting a Hogwarts Legacy sequel. We'll park that in the maybe pile for now, because for all we know, Hogwarts Legacy's Switch port could be a disaster akin to the GTA Trilogy.
