Summary
Hogwarts Legacyreleased on the Nintendo Switch on November 14, and the game is selling fantastically well.Hogwarts Legacy’sfull release was back in February, so the game’s continued momentum with its late addition to the Switch platform is an impressive feat.
Leading up to its release, Switch-owningHarry Potterfans eagerly awaitedHogwarts Legacy’sNintendo Switch debut. While the Switch’s hardware led some to worry that the game would need to be substantially downgraded, fans were relieved whenHogwarts LegacySwitch gameplay leaked onlineshortly before its release, which revealed that the game looked surprisingly good. The power ofHarry Potterfandom, combined with Avalanche Software’s successful port, created an impressive launch forHogwarts Legacy’sintroduction to the Switch.
GamesIndustry.biz’s Christopher Dring tweeted thatHogwarts Legacyis now 2023’s third-biggest release on the Switch, only beaten byThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomandSuper Mario Bros. Wonder, two franchises that are regular chart toppers on the Nintendo platform.Hogwarts Legacy’sstrong Switch sales propelled it back up to the number one spot on the UK boxed charts, dethroning industry titanCall of Duty.Hogwarts Legacywas released on Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows over nine months ago, making its current popularity on Switch especially impressive.
While its exceedingly strong performance on the Switch is an exciting development forHogwarts Legacyfanatics, fans were disappointed earlier this month whenThe Game Awards did not giveHogwarts Legacya single nomination. This snubbing comes in spite of the fact thatHogwarts Legacysold over 15 million copies and was one of the year’s most popular open-world games. A snub of this magnitude may say just as much about the widespread controversy surroundingHarry Potter’sauthor as it doesHogwarts Legacy’sgameplay.
Regardless of the reasons for the game’s lack of nominations,Hogwarts Legacysold amazingly well, topping $1 billion in sales in its first three months of release. Avalanche Software has not officially announced a sequel yet, but a followup to the wildly successful first game is almost certainly in the works.
Fans have debated whetherHogwarts Legacyis worth buying on the Switch. The Switch’s portable nature makes it a much less powerful console than a PS5 or Xbox Series X, and withHogwarts Legacybeing an entirely modern game with high-quality graphics, fans had good reason to worry that its Switch version might look pretty clunky. But, following the previously mentioned leaks and the game’s full release on the Switch, fans were pleasantly surprised that the game plays just fine on the portable console.
