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The Switch version of Hogwarts Legacy, released on November 14, 2023, has been thoroughly analyzed by YouTube channel SwitchUp. In their technical analysis, they shared that to ensure acceptable performance on Nintendo Switch, developers had to heavily optimize Hogwarts Legacy compared to its PC, Xbox Series X, and PS5 counterparts. This optimization is evident in various graphical aspects, including resolution, textures, and lighting. Despite the aggressive use of image upscaling and dynamic resolution, the overall image quality of the game remains impressive, avoiding the issues seen in previous titles like Mortal Kombat 1.
Image credit: Avalanche Software/SwitchUp, Hogwarts Legacy
The visual fidelity of Hogwarts Legacy is most striking within the confines of Hogwarts itself, while the reduced graphics quality becomes more apparent in open locations, especially when compared directly to other versions of the game.
Regarding performance, Hogwarts Legacy typically runs at 30 FPS, occasionally dropping to 25-27 FPS in open areas. However, one major drawback of Nintendo Switch is the lengthy loading times, which average between 30-50 seconds.
Image credit: Avalanche Software/SwitchUp, Hogwarts Legacy
To accommodate the Nintendo Switch hardware, developers had to sacrifice the seamless open-world experience found in other versions of the game. This means that downloads occur between locations, unlike the seamless transitions in other platform versions.
Image credit: Avalanche Software/SwitchUp, Hogwarts Legacy
Despite these compromises, the SwitchUp reviewer expressed a positive overall experience with Hogwarts Legacy. They commended the developers for successfully optimizing such a large and demanding game for the Nintendo console, which was released back in 2017.
Recently, the nominees for The Game Awards 2023 were announced with Alan Wake 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 receiving the most nominations. Unfortunately, Hogwarts Legacy wasn't one of them.
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