The Switch version of Hogwarts Legacy no longer has a seamless open world, according to a new comparison video.
After numerous delays, the game is finally released on Switch today, and Mark Walker of YouTube channelSwitchUphas posted a video showing how it compares to other versions.
While the Switch version is clearly less visually detailed than on other, more powerful platforms, Walker says the game “could have been far worse” and that on handheld in particular the game “is running reasonably well”.
However, Walker then goes on to point out what he calls “a huge flaw” with the Switch version, which is the loss of a seamless open world.
On thePlayStation 5,XboxSeries X andPCversions of the game, the player can start inside Hogwarts, walk outside, walk all the way to Hogsmeade and enter a shop in one seamless journey without any loading times.
However, Walker demonstrates that on Switch, when the player enters Hogsmeade they have to sit through a load screen lasting between 30 and 50 seconds.
He then points out that whereas other versions allow you to walk into shops directly from the street in Hogsmeade, on Switch another load screen comes up.
“One of the most appealing things for me when I first played the game [on PC] was just being able to look into shops and walk in through the door,” Walker says. “That unfortunately is no longer the case.
“When you reach the door you’ll be greed with the option of loading in [via button prompt], then you’ll have to wait – you guessed it – 30 to 50 seconds to load that interior.”
Walker notes that “none of these things are deal breakers for most people, but as far as gameplay goes, having to load between every single shop in a town that has about 10-15 buildings, it certainly does impact the flow”.
He also notes that players who have never tried the game on other formats may be more tolerant of the loading screens, because they “wouldn’t know any different”, and that overall “being able to play the game on theNintendo Switchin the first place is kind of mind-blowing”.
Hogwarts Legacywascomfortably Europe’s best-selling game in the first half of 2023, selling over 12 million copies in the first two weeks following its PS5,Xbox Series X/Sand PC release on February 10.
Further reading
It was released forPS4andXbox Oneon May 5, at which point Warner announced that the game hadtopped $1 billion in retail salesand sold over 15 million copies.
Hogwarts Legacy’s release came amid significant controversy surrounding book author JK Rowling’s publicly-stated views on transgender rights.
Despite performing well, the game was boycotted by some Harry Potter fans due topublic comments from Rowlingperceived by many to be transphobic (for a full breakdown of the situation, we recommendthis article by Glamour).
