Hogwarts Legacy - Nintendo Switch Review - Massive Downgrades... But Does It Work?

Hogwarts Legacy was quite the showcase on PC and current-gen consoles and managed a reasonable enough transition to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but Nintendo Switch...? That's the game's biggest porting challenge yet. What you get is recognisably Hogwarts Legacy, but a massive array of compromises, cutbacks and design changes are required to get the game running - and even then, the results are far from ideal.
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00:00 Overview
00:47 Visual settings changes
06:15 Extra loading areas
7:37 Image quality and performance
11:20 Analysis and conclusion

[@Legokillen51]

The developers deserve a lot of respect for actually porting their game compared to everyone else who only do a cloud version

[@xtr.7662]

And this is actually one of the most demanding last gen games it runs at 720p fsr1 to 1080p on xbox one

[@John_R_Jackson_III]

They get enough credit when someone buys the game

[@Red_PlaysYT]

Kingdom hearts fans are screaming to this day ;(

[@ShaCaro]

No? There's loads of recent releases that have come out on the Switch as well. I've not heard of any cloud releases, but it sounds like it would be the better option for those unfortunate enough to have to play on a Switch.

[@ErenTheWarcriminal]

The game your pfp is from is better than this trash woke game

[@OhMyPoBoy]

it almost reminds me of the crazy amount of downgrading that went on for the handful of PS3/360 ports to PS2/Wii. It’s impressive

[@GLC48]

Yeah reminds me of COD games like Black Ops and MW3 getting ported to the Wii.

[@mortenpotzdidler2790]

Hell, it's still very arguably less compromised than the Splinter Cell ports from the OG Xbox to PS2/GC. The architectural differences that "gen" were shown to be massive when the Xbox was the target device.

[@jabciuthehut]

Most of them were completely different games, like The Force Unleashed.

[@DerWaidmann_]

The Wii port of Modern Warfare 3 is the most impressive

[@danielrock04]

yeah, I remember getting really mad at ATARI at the time they've launched Test Drive Unlimited for the PS2 and they NEVER showed us a trailer of it running on PS2 hardware before launching....I've had a meltdown on some orkut forums HAHAHAH

[@nigelo92]

Even if this is a cutback too far, imagine if Game Freak managed visuals like this for Pokémon Scarlett and Violet.

[@ReineDeLaSeine14]

Yes but keep in mind this is a different art style. There was no excuse for SV to be total ass.

[@Dr_Zamus]

That's exactly what I thought. This Game is better than Pokémon Scarlet/Violet's visuals and performance.

[@veejayjovencalagos4731]

Their new games nowadays are no better than shovel wares.

[@Mattatat9ty3]

Pokemon games sell millions of copies, things won't improve until the money stops flowing.

[@zanderman2009]

there's a point when you should just say 'no' the game is heavily comprimised and barely resembles even a quarter of what the game is. when deelopers are refusing even PS4 ports... this is why

[@ItDaBiz]

This deserves the title of an impossible port. It's essentially a 7th gen demake of a 9th gen game, and deserves mad props for it.

[@Gatitasecsii]

@@JokerX350 yeah I wouldn't call the switch a 7th gen console. It's so weak that the wii looks on par with it...

[@markxv2267]

Lol not impossible at all. Guess you are easily impressed

[@mitchgeek]

Agreed!

[@Papinak2]

​@@Gatitasecsii switch is more powerful than 7th gen.

[@TAKEYOURCREATINE]

​@@Gatitasecsiigo actually play a Wii game again. No, it does not

[@Archivist42]

I honestly thought it would get cancelled, obviously it doesn't look great but I can't believe they got it to work at all.

[@_JavierOrtiz_]

Canceled why? Look good for a swicth.

[@MaxDowngrades]

​@@_JavierOrtiz_ I think he meant that the developers would give up on porting it cus its hard

[@Matt-jc2ml]

Too much money involved. Could easily sell a couple million copies

[@HibariKyoya007]

They try to beat Zelda Totk sales. Of course they giving switch fans the best game

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

If this looks good to you, you have no hope

[@clarinet800149]

And yet Pokemon looks the way it does. This was a great port. They took into account the limitations of the systems and still aimed to make the best experience possible

[@aoikemono6414]

Lol I was gonna post this exact thing.

[@goldmemberpb]

Yeah, if a great port meant 540p, super unstable 30 fps, extremely bad loading screens everywhere, and destroying the open world structure of the game.

[@Pokemonlyfan]

​@@goldmemberpb yes, but then we have Hogwarts Legacy on the other side /s Pokemon has very similar issues and they basically feature no interiors, even less appealing open world geometry and details and the main town is also behind a loading screen. :D

[@UWG3]

I've honestly lost all hype and respect for the Pokemon game franchise. 30 years later it's STILL THE SAME DAMN THING! I've been dreaming of having a fully fleshed out 3D animated adventure with Pokemon how they look in the cartoon for almost 2 decades now since the hardware has always been there. I know it's a franchise aimed at kids but the kids that made the property so successful are all adults now and the franchise needs to grow with it's core audience. The Pokemon company thinks they can bank on our nostalgia forever well they're dead wrong! There's bound to come a tipping point where what they give fans are not gonna be enough to keep them coming back for future installments.

[@goldmemberpb]

@@UWG3 keep in mind, gamefreak only has 180 employees and went from a 3ds to a big hd system. They work well with limitations. Now, they cant really do that. They need to expand their team and they just are not doing that.

[@LelloDalamiq]

Gotta give credit; They actually tried to port the full experience in a way the switch can handle, and that meant effectively turning it into a PS3-era game to do so. Which isn't bad, it holds up remarkably well given that hiccup.

[@nick13b]

360 days are back! Switch is starting to feel like the xbox 360 these days with all the gaming goodness coming out

[@elp3035]

​@nick13b seriously. Currently have Bioshock, resident evil, metal gear, zelda, Mario, metroid, borderlands, AC, crisis, FF, Bayonetta, sonic and a bunch of other series on the Switch running native. My Lite is the most my most used system

[@lonewanderer9982]

​@@elp3035Goooooooooo tegra for being ancient it can still punch.

[@lonewanderer9982]

​@@elp3035Goooooooooo tegra for being ancient it can still punch.

[@butchdeadlift7551]

​@@nick13bIt really does. No system since has had the magic of 360 except the Switch. Plus, a lot of great 360 games have been ported to it lol.

[@benjaminluna64]

It is a no brainer that its best played on better hardware, BUT the amount of effort put to optimizing this game on Switch is an achievement in itself, let alone even running rather decent. I'm suprised they didn't got lazy and went "Ark: Survival" with this port. The big downside for me would be the loading times. It does feel like it takes forever. I doubt it can be vastly reduced due to the Switch's SD card read speed being the limiting factor. Overall I think this game deserves a play if you decide to play it on Switch.

[@Cowcatgames]

The SD cards have never been such a limiting factor, access time and burst speeds are more than enough. It's the CPU which is the most limiting, that loaded data needs to be processed.

[@anggasatya69]

Correction: if Switch is the only platform you have

[@captbloodbeard]

Still there is an element of disappoint considering what Saber Interactive and CDPR were able to do with The Witcher 3 on Switch, which looks far far better than Hogwarts does, and this shouldn't have been the case considering TW3 is almost a decade older, and the Switch port came out years ago also. TW3 managed to keep anti-aliasing, better texture filtering, crowd density, screen space reflections and far higher quality water, and kept an open world without any additional loading screens. Even the draw distance of TW3 on Switch seems to be better.

[@anggasatya69]

@@captbloodbeard different game man, unless you know for sure the difficulty behind the porting process for both games, I think it's unfair to just see the end result

[@captbloodbeard]

@@anggasatya69 you obviously don't understand development

[@saikousocial]

There is something oddly charming about this version of the game. It reminds me of old PS2 games. If I had a switch, I honestly wouldn't mind how this looks at all, lol. The framerate would be my biggest concern.

[@ni9274]

Any kid that don't have access to better hardware would love to play a game like that despite the graphical issues, I remember I could only play shitty low budget harry potter games on the 3DS at the time

[@MrPhaethonPrime]

Couldn’t agree more. My PS2 era self would’ve killed to live in Hogwarts at the scale this game offers - I wouldn’t have even questioned the graphics, and then add to that you’re playing on a tablet from 2017. Sometimes I miss those days when our brains filled in the graphical shortcomings. Playability and fun was paramount.

[@drawfull]

That's the first thing I thought, in a good way. Looks exactly how I remember FFXII on PS2.

[@18PregnantAndProud]

it reminds me of old PS1 game tbh

[@notoriouspomegranate5612]

@@18PregnantAndProuduhmm, I would check again how PS1 titles looked. They looked much, much worse than this.

[@rickrodriguez6244]

I am absolutely blown away that they were able to get this running on the Switch at all. Given the hardware restraints- especially in portable form, it’s incredible how well it holds up

[@j_c_93]

It honestly looks pretty good imo, this might lowkey be the most impressive switch port

[@rickrodriguez6244]

@@j_c_93 It looks great for the Switch. He was mostly trashing it the entire video, meanwhile I’m just blown away by how much optimization they had to do to even get it running

[@AngelicRequiemX]

@@rickrodriguez6244It's great to have low standards, isn't it?

[@dealswithnormiesallday]

​@@AngelicRequiemXwhat he's saying is that the real quality of a game comes in the experience, not the pixel count.

[@rickrodriguez6244]

@@AngelicRequiemX It’s called realistic standards… anyone expecting this to look like the PS5 version is an idiot. They managed to port this game to a console with 13 year old cell phone architecture. The Switch should explode even attempting to run this. This is more impressive to me than the Witcher 3 port- because that was an old game already. This is a new game made for current gen hardware. It’s an impressive technical achievement

[@geminijinxies7258]

It's obvious they did everything they could to make it run on the Switch. That's the opposite of a lazy port ;) and I'm impressed by how nice it still looks.

[@captbloodbeard]

I'n not saying that this was a lazy port, but they definitely did take too many shortcuts instead of the harder stuff like coming up with bespoke solutions in-engine. Removing anti-aliasing and screen space reflections and adding loading screens and sacrificing lighting wasn't necessary, but the game is horribly optimized on PC to begin with and there are myriad issues still there that show Port-key really isn't up to the task, they don't have the programming chops. To show what the Switch can really do, take a look at how good The Witcher 3 looks on it in comparison, and how few sacrifices needed to be made. Yes TW3 is a much older game, but its the end result that matters and The Witcher 3 on Switch is a masterful port that looks far better than Hogwarts Legacy.

[@DongKEKong]

I like this version. I think they did a great work and it reminds me of the time devs really make versions of their games for different hardware and they weaknesses and strong points. Not just simply compiling their game for other strip down pcs.

[@JmKrokY]

Yeah

[@marskingdoms]

Yes, same as my thoughts, when devs were porting console game in handheld consoles, with lots of cuts, but still enjoyable ❤

[@Buzz_1991]

Now it looks like a mid PS3 game.....

[@claire6452]

Back then they used to make two different games for each gen, which is why it worked. Backporting usually failed, and still does today.

[@Manganization]

To me it's impressive. They actually properly ported the game in a way that still looks incredible within the limitations of the console.

[@poppleian89]

It looks better than some last gen ports to the switch and it runs better too, it obviously wasn't going to be a comparable experience but I'm glad to see the devs put in the work to make it an acceptable experience at least

[@jippalippa]

I have to say I admire the developers. Rethinking the game like that still requires a lot of effort, and very little can be done with the limitations of the current swich.

[@therunawaykid6523]

Yeah it’s a pretty impressive port but the extra loading sections are a deal breaker for me while in the other versions of the game you can just enter these areas seamlessly, it’s a shame that in hogs Meade on the switch you have to wait for a loading screen when you enter pretty much every shop I will definitely stick to the pc version

[@lopesmorrenofim]

I never thought it’d make it. I really praise the devs for going through with it, and with such quality. This is everything I hope when I ask for a Switch version. I know the horsepower is low. I know what I’m asking for. And this is exactly it. Being able to play such an incredible game in a handheld device is all i’m looking for

[@redo1700]

I agree. I played the entire game on my Steam Deck and it was amazing.

[@FrickinFloren]

This is the kind of positivity we need in comment sections like this. People that are grateful instead of spoiled last gen console junkies and 4K PC gamers that take every possible opportunity they can get to rant about the Switch.

[@hyrumstephens2002]

@@FrickinFlorenpeople love to shit on switch but it’s fun and while it has flaws it’s affordable and has some dope stuff. Gonna play legacy on mine

[@jamesknight3070]

@@hyrumstephens2002 An additional point that few people mention is the Switch runs silent, while other consoles have a constant "hum" and frequently "rev-up" when entering new areas/ loading/ similar.

[@lopesmorrenofim]

@@coltonwilkie241 the thing is, a game can’t be solemnly optimised, if the tools aren’t… this is a multiple-year thing, costly, and difficult. Can’t blame it all on those companies, especially not (never!!) the devs. The devs are NEVER at fault

[@CropDudia480p]

this version kind of reminds me of those old PS3 to PS2 backports u would get when the generation was still early

[@chrisbarker1046]

I can imagine people who've played it elsewhere will be most aware of cutbacks. However, as someone who has only played it on Switch, it's very good, and a patch or two from being great.

[@CaptainEffort]

540p and sub 30fps and you think people will have to have played the other versions to notice the cutbacks?

[@itsaurorose]

i have to disagree, and maybe because i own a switch, xbox s and a ps5 but immediately on starting legacy on switch having never seen it anywhere else, i definitely noticed the graphics. i'm uneducated and this video helps me understand why it seemed so low quality. but it stood out like a sore thumb to me tbh

[@amdboy5873]

@@itsaurorose I played the game maxed out on PC at 4K/60 on 65 inch oled tv and I still enjoy the game in pocket form factor. Yeah, there are some drawbacks, but it is still very much enjoyable and more importantly more comfortable. And after overclocking the switch it is stable 30fps with faster load times.

[@edwardbrennan3963]

I'm playing it on the switch and really enjoy it. Everyone knew this was going to be downgraded, but people were expecting it to be canceled or just not playable at all. It's been great and is worth a buy if you only play on switch or want to play on the go. Obviously, if you have other consoles, then get it on those, but this port isn't for those people. I know it's a recommendation on the numbers, but you should take into account the target audience's need and if it's worth it to them.

[@SimGTAandCOD]

Me too money well spent

[@maximefraisier1010]

Wow you bough a horrible look blurry with full aliasing xbox 360 game for 60$ ? The game is also super boring snd generic, the only thing they had was great graphic on PC… now its completely gone

[@nicolemonrue]

​@@maximefraisier1010question....why do you care? And how is it affecting your life🤷‍♀️

[@HeavyMetalSonicRM]

Paying full price for what looks like a Wii game shows that it's okay to keep releasing crap like this. Like us Nintendo fans are a bunch of idiots who don't know any better.

[@JustinInSeatle]

The Switch version is brimming with bespoke artistry, programming, load modalities, etc. Not to mention that it requires TEN TIMES less power than the Xbox/Playstation to run. If you don't see the redeeming wizardry in this game on switch then you're a right muggle. Or it's just not for you. More walking, less talking.

[@corey2232]

The cutbacks are obvious, but I still find it extremely impressive. I played the game on PC, but the fact they managed to port the entire experience to a console using a Tegra X1 (and a downclocked one at that) is insane.

[@75and1]

I am still thankful for what we got on switch. Kudos to the developers for not giving up. They rolled up their sleeves and worked heavily on the game to make this possible

[@IkesDaddelbox]

We are getting into Wii vs Ps3/360 territory, and I don't know how to feel about that. The 7th gen to 6th gen ports absolutely fascinated me, so this feels very nostalgic and scratches a specific itch that doesn't get enough scratching these days. On the other hand, I've reached a point where I feel like the visual identity of a game is an important part of it. Here they managed to keep parts of that identity, but a lot got lost in translation. It's still a fine experience, but only because this was handled by a very competent developer. So I'm fascinated and worried at the same time. The Switch successor can't come soon enough.

[@andeed4200]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly -- remember when they ended up making a completely redesigned version of Ghostbusters that would run comfortably on previous gen consoles? That's what this reminds me of

[@alpha-gs2uz]

It really reminds me of mgsv the phantom pain on PS3 and the 20 ish fps it also had in traversal and intense scenes, and all the graphical cutbacks it had too

[@kiwisoup]

Switch is literally mostly on par with PS3 and 360 so I don't know what you're trying to say

[@IkesDaddelbox]

@@kiwisoup I'm saying that the Switch vs ps5 situation and the quality difference remind me of the time when Ps3/360 games were ported onto the Wii.

[@N.i.E.M.O]

It's funny because the Switch is more like two full hardware generations behind current gen, whilst the Wii was 'only' one generation behind PS360. But the fact that architecture in the modern age has become more similar, it means that scaling games back is a lot more feasible, hence, Hogwarts Legacy on Switch is 'technically' the same game, even with its settings turned down lower than ultra-low. The Wii on the other hand, simply couldn't replicate the vast majority of effects that were modern at the time, and thus, games 'ported down' to Wii often had to be built from the ground-up. On a somewhat related note, it's pretty sad that Nintendo has essentially taken the fact that they will never again try to compete with the rest of the gaming industry in terms of tech. They seem to wear it as a badge of honor, which I guess makes sense when the fans will lap up anything they fart out as if it's the second coming of Christ. Granted, the Switch wasn't 'too bad' when it originally released in early 2017 as a portable console, but almost seven years later it's starting to get ridiculous. Unless Switch 2 really is this powerhouse of a console that the rumors say it will be, I feel like Nintendo is content with falling further and further behind the rest of the industry. And with the recent statements by Furakawa that the rumors of Switch 2's alleged capabilities are totally untrue, I can't help but shake my head. At least Nintendo is already hinting to us that the Switch 2 is gonna be barely more powerful than current Switch (if it will even exist at all).

[@gtabro1337]

For a console with the processing power of a toaster it's a miracle it even works

[@michaelmuller1433]

Not really. The Switch is comparable to a PS3 or Xbox 360 but with 8x the amount of RAM. And open world games like GTA V or Red Dead Redemption ran with a higher resolution and a better framerate on these consoles.

[@N.i.E.M.O]

When did GTAV release on Switch? And honestly, being PS360-level in this day and age isn't at all impressive. Maybe in 2017 it wasn't too bad to have that level of visuals in portable form, but today, which is nearly 20 years from the launch of the 360, it simply doesn't cut it. It's 'toaster' level for sure.

[@WHATISUTUBE]

I love these sort of downgrades to see what devs do. Its not the definitive experience, but its definitively worth watching

[@iurigrang]

I wonder how much of the decks frame consistency issues could be ironed out by one of the many frame caps available

[@edismehmedali4666]

Does it really matter? The game barely even hits 30fps , frame cap wouldn't do anything

[@dutchguy1807]

Did the best they could given the hardware, perfectly fine option for people that only have a Switch or want to play on the go. Its interesting to see a big triple A release like this scaling from current gen consoles all the way to the Switch.

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

I can play it on the go with my ROG ally

[@BetterJavi]

You’re not the same market segment as someone who only owns a switch.

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

@@BetterJavi yes, I'm not a Nintendo simp... This port is a joke

[@Pokuseni]

@@fillerbunnyninjashark271Comparing a 300$ 2017 system to a recently released 600$ system is not a very fair comparison

[@CaptainEffort]

If you want to play on the go, you don’t need the Switch version. That’s not a good excuse anymore.

[@kostasvapo69]

It looks amazing for a handheld, the specs of the switch are so bad... but look at the result, WOW !

[@michalko93]

I really like this kind of developers commitment. Something similar with Ori on Switch. Game is downgraded but considering you can, and most of players will, play in handheld mode on small screen, it’s really good port.

[@iljun3089]

Not everyone wants to play a game in a maximum ultra realistic graphics. Most casual gamers actually just want to play the game in our favorite consoles.

[@OneStepToDeath420]

Always love such impressive ports, even if I don't play most of them.

[@shoego]

Considering the performance problems I had in my laptop, with a 10th gen I7 and a 2060 , seeing this running on the switch is basically a miracle. For those whom only own a switch, or like to play the game in portable mode, it is a totally viable version to play. And with a little OC (if you have a modded switch) you can improve performance and resolution a bit.

[@barkyyy]

10th gen laptop cpus from intel have issues lol, can tell you from experience my cpu would thermal throttle itself so you dont get full performance out of it most of the time. I'm sure you would get better frames if laptops had more adequate cooling. Might just be a 10th gen problem though because my laptop with 13th gen intel doesnt thermal throttle ever so idk.

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

You're problem was Intel

[@shoego]

@@fillerbunnyninjashark271 I am fully aware of that. But intel's lobby prevents me from finding decent AMD laptops in Brazil. My work laptop is amd, but with a APU, it has no overheating problem, but not enough gpu power. I wish I could find a decently priced ryzen gaming laptop around here.

[@Secret_Takodachi]

​@@fillerbunnyninjashark271proof the OP has no taste in the first place

[@wiggylwogglywoo9965]

@@fillerbunnyninjashark271 The PC port is broken no matter what hardware you have. It's CPU limited, and has annoying traversal stutters.

[@willmgs3903]

This was an admirable effort though I do hope we see a level of support for this version that the NMS port got. That would be truly impressive.

[@3therspark63]

Still has less loading screens than StarField

[@kylerclarke2689]

It feels very weird to have a studio build a game... and then spend most of a year downgrading their work

[@blackfoxstudioX]

Trying to run 2023 AAA game on 2017 hardware , you think Nintendo switch run on magic?😅

[@friendlyotaku9525]

Worth it though, especially for a console as popular as the Switch. And being able to play a game like this on the go, even with the downgrades, is a huge plus! That's what makes ports like this important

[@DimaShortPlay]

Well, they will benefit greatly from this

[@Wobbothe3rd]

Thats how game development on consoles has always been since forever.

[@christianr.5868]

Sounds kinda fun tbh, limitations create creativity. And some of the tricks they learned porting the switch can be used to help the game run better on the other platforms as well

[@astreakaito5625]

It's surprising enough that it runs at all

[@kendokaaa]

I think it's interesting to remember back in the day when ports to portable consoles meant a completely different game (game boy, etc). At least now it's the same-ish game

[@GenerationZ313]

This is exactly what makes the Nintendo Switch so special. Sure, we got ports on PSP and even the Vita, which were comparable to the home console version, but with the Switch, you can choose to play on a handheld or TV.

[@kendokaaa]

For sure

[@riven4121]

@@GenerationZ313 I can't imagine what this would look like on a TV if it's this aliased on a portable device.

[@XXtheJUMPoffXX]

Those long loading times would drive me crazy

[@friendlyotaku9525]

Honestly I think it's really impressive! Obviously downgrades and concessions had to be made but I think it holds up really well and it's absolutely worth it to be able to take this game on the go! Major props to the team for making this possible, it's truly incredible what they've managed to accomplish!

[@andrewsneacker1256]

If only it ran 45-50+ fps... And it has 40second loading screen xDD

[@AlexAnteroLammikko]

@@andrewsneacker1256 That was never gonna happen.

[@YaBoiZed]

Yeah this stripped down version is worth full price for sure. Bet.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

@@YaBoiZed worth it for the portability alone imo, that's what makes the Switch so special

[@countersin3538]

Impressive? Hmmm no. This is Hogwarts on the “no”

[@TheAquarius87]

Reminds me of Half-Life 2 on the original Xbox. Ports like this are absolutely fascinating. This, Witcher 3, divinity original sin 2... Yet a decent Pokemon game is too much 😂

[@oily4545]

Tbh I’m just impressed they got it out in a decent state. When it was first announced I’d have put money on the Switch version getting canceled or being a cloud-based version.

[@KarlFluesse]

I must admit, while it may lack the visual finesse of its counterparts on newer generation hardware, I am genuinely finding great enjoyment in the game.

[@floppa9415]

I think this game could be another great candidate for an iOS / Android port. Clearly a lot of work already went into it to make it at least "playable" on very low powered hardware, and I think there would be a lot of fans of Harry Potter who would enjoy this game but don't own a console, switch or gaming PC - but a somewhat recent model iPhone or Android phone.

[@paradoxzee6834]

The issue is on iOS and Android payed games don't sell well, there is a reason 99% games on mobile are free to play games.

[@floppa9415]

@@paradoxzee6834 true, thats because I think they share the same storefront with f2p garbage. I think if Google or Apple made a separate store for high profile games called for example "Apple Console" this would change the perception.

[@75and1]

And it’s all because android being such an open platform it allows for games to be easily pirated. So we all pay the consequences for it. But hey, people still love to hate Apple

[@fckSashka]

it’s too controversial for apple

[@riven4121]

Ironically a modern phone SoC like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3 or the Apple Bionics are way more powerful than the Switch

[@baraaahmad7738]

honestly the fact that they even got the game working at all on the switch is impressive, and at least they followed through on their promises. The devs for this game really came through for all the fans one way or another. Pt. 2 is gonna be a great game as well i bet

[@delatomvione9943]

The Switch version looks like a mid-gen PS3 game TBH. Kudos to the devlopers who made that massive milestone of porting such a big game to an outdated handheld hardware.

[@doloresdebeauvoir4960]

I remember adding loading points to a semi-open world games when I first entered the game industry and had to port a game to the PSP because there's not enough RAM. It is definitely a sensible decision. Overall I think this is a good port, still works and didn't cut back too much.

[@GenerationZ313]

What games specifically are you referring to? I know PSP ports were rather similar in quality to the PS2 versions, albeit with some downgrades, but I'm not sure if I've heard of adding loading screens to any PSP port.

[@Areinu]

How is framepacing on SD when you limit the FPS to 30 or something? Does it get much better?

[@CaptainEffort]

A lot better. They’re also playing on medium settings, so tweaking those helps too.

[@kylerclarke2689]

My 4070 laptop is fighting for its life every time I launch Hogwarts. The poor Switch, man. Let it rest

[@davilkafm1644]

My 4060 laptop does the same when I launch Tlou

[@BlitzvogelMobius]

Funny how the Switch basically shows us how so many current and past gen games might've looked on the Xbox 360 or PS3 👍

[@RetroniOS]

The best thing about Switch version is that makes One version look like next gen.

[@n8doggy733]

PoV: you go play Dark Souls 2 after beating Elden Ring

[@seekingsolutions7078]

I think the developers deserve a lot praise. It’s obvious how much work they put into this and how they cared about selling a good product. It’s not perfect, but dang what an accomplishment! Overall, I think they did an amazing job. This is an example of amazing engineering. I’m sure most switch owners who play this are going to be pleased. Remember, most people don’t care to invest in a 2-3k dollar rig just to play an effing video game.

[@MarshallRawR]

I'm no developer, but you can't tell me having at least x8 anisotropic filtering can be that demanding in VRAM/GPU processing power for the Switch. Anisotropic filtering is seriously crucial in modern games and usually cost almost nothing, yet the impact is massive even on low quality textures. This port is either bilinear or 2x.

[@ishaansaral502]

AF is more complicated for APUs that share system memory for both the GPU and CPU. I don't exactly know the specifics, but even some PS5 games have a lower AF setting, probably due to being memory constrained.

[@cosmocalypse3708]

How is texture filtering not free at this point? So weird to see that be a common cut almost like it's done by habit instead of to improve performance

[@3dmarth]

This has puzzled me for a long time. Cranking up the anisotropic filtering has never had a noticeable effect on performance for me, even on old hardware. Yet the texture filtering in so many console games has been awful ever since the Dreamcast came out, and is still bad in recent games. Also, I know a lot of people hate the shimmering look caused by a lack of mip-mapping, but I'd take that over aggressively-filtered textures like this, any day!

[@ishaansaral502]

It is more complicated for APUs where memory is shared between the CPU and GPU. GPUs with dedicated VRAM on PC do not have the same problem.

[@3dmarth]

@@ishaansaral502 Is the issue related to processing and moving things around in memory, or just the amount that it takes up? Even consoles with dedicated VRAM like the OG Xbox or the PS3 still had bad texture filtering in many cases.

[@ishaansaral502]

@3dmarth I think it's mainly the lack of sufficient memory and the fact that RAM bandwidth is slower than VRAM. You have 13GB of usable memory and need to use some as VRAM for textures and other things.

[@3dmarth]

@@ishaansaral502 Oh yeah, now that you mention the reduced bandwidth, I could see them cutting back pretty aggressively on the filtering to keep the data transfer to a minimum and save bandwidth for more "important" things. It doesn't explain why some older systems had that issue as well, but maybe they had their own VRAM bottlenecks. My own PC has relatively decent performance compared to its very limited VRAM, so that'd also explain why I'd be less likely to run into issues around bandwidth when using 16xAF (as long as I'm not using too much VRAM).

[@stevenrogers3115]

@digitalfoundry are the switch graphics shown on screen docked or undocked (handheld)? I know there's a noticeable difference in the switch's graphics when docked.

[@the_kovic]

How is Switch loading for so long? It's not waiting for data transfer from a slow spinning hard drive so what are we waiting for during the loading process?

[@riven4121]

The switch just isn't that powerful. It needs the time to decompress textures and such off the cartridge or off the internal memory which is not that fast and caps out at about 200-300MB/s.

[@jacobsoper4708]

I think that overall the port is very impressive in terms of presenting a playable version of Hogwarts which keeps the story presentation intact -- facial animation is all there, and care has been taken to ensure key story scenes aren't a soupy mess. But this game, and this engine in particular, are hitting the boundaries of what the Switch can really deliver. I'm playing the Switch port right now, and I'm having a good time, don't get me wrong -- it's super fun to have Hogwarts on the go -- but it does strike me as a game that would have been better suited as a Switch 2 launch title where it would truly shine. Hogwarts is a beautiful game even on PS4/XBO, and the Switch port is in this awkward position where it looks decent for Switch, but it doesn't convey the beauty of the original version very well.

[@thorocomments817]

Exactly. Not mad at what I’m seeing here

[@logirex]

This is one of those they managed to make a port but should it be released... hell no. The visuals are simply awful 🤦‍♂

[@N.i.E.M.O]

It's impressive that they managed to get it to work at all, but I'm not sure if the effort was worth it.

[@GenerationZ313]

It's impressive for the system but not compared to the other systems. I do wonder whether the file size or presentation would be heavily impacted had they decided to make every cutscene pre-rendered instead of keeping some of them in-engine.

[@datdavid]

The devs did a damn good job getting this game to run on a potato

[@EnOrangeSoffa]

how does a voice over make my desk shake with bass but also be so quiet I can't hear what the fuck he's saying. incredible

[@-ll-l---l-]

TW3 port got some impressive patches with time, curious to see if the game we'll get the same type of treatment with little improvements here and there

[@paulooliveiracastro]

Impressive work from the devs. I Wonder if those settings could appear on PC for those running potato machines.

[@peartreez]

I wish we could lower the settings much more on PC. My Steam Deck would appreciate it lol

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

This is why I miss the days when the portable version of a game was a bespoke version made for that system. No one would try to port a game to the GBA or DS. Instead they made a bespoke version that wasn’t necessarily worse just different. Like making a 2D version of a game which creates a very different experience. That way there was a reason to buy the game for the portable console even if you already owned it on your home console. If they keep just making worse versions of games already on other systems there isn’t much reason for anyone with a more powerful system to care.

[@andremoguel6494]

I got the digital copy but i tend to get a lot of staggering. Is there a fix to this or try downloading the game again?

[@Psyrgery]

Are the comparison shots at 4:58 correct? Looks as if they have been swaped

[@Reactor10k]

It’d be interesting to see the battery life on the switch compared to something like the steam deck…

[@mistersurrealist]

The Switch has much better battery life.

[@bromanoski]

The switch generally has better battery life since it’s running games at a lesser resolution with much less fidelity, frames and detail

[@Reactor10k]

Yes, obviously.

[@ACE-ej4fu]

the fact that they managed to get a game that big to run is impressive by itself

[@juststatedtheobvious9633]

If you never played a good open world game on PS3 or 360, maybe. Not sure why you're advocating for lower standards

[@TheMothdemon]

​@@juststatedtheobvious9633Because they like the game? Im just stating the obvious 🙄

[@juststatedtheobvious9633]

@@TheMothdemon Odd. I usually prefer games I enjoy to receive better treatment. I may love Saints Row 3 on Switch or Mortal Kombat IX on Vita or even Defender on 2600, but all of these suffered during the porting process. No use pretending they're impressive, when superior options exist on the same hardware.

[@esmooth919]

6:33 considering the fact that Rockstar got this right all the way back on the PS2, the developers dropped the ball here, big time! With games like BOTW, Fenix Rising, and TOTK pulling off background streaming so that you don't have to load between regions and towns and cities, there is no excuse for this..

[@elijahvincent985]

A real miracle of a proper port on a lesser-capable system! The loading times are honestly not as bad as critics are saying. It really is incredible to see it work as smooth as it is doing, all things considered. There are some occasional crashes, but thanks to the quick autosave features, it has not hurt my progress at all.

[@ClellBiggs]

I loved this game. The fact it didn't receive a single nomination for the Game Awards is sad.

[@N.i.E.M.O]

It was bound to be ignored by the Game Awards. Anyone who speaks anything remotely positive about this game are immediatly canceled by the LGBTQ Mafia.

[@ClellBiggs]

@@N.i.E.M.O Is that why? It seems a bit petty to punish a group of people for something someone else said that they probably don't even agree with.

[@oscarzxn4067]

I think it wasn't nominated ony because it was good but there were better games in every category, since this was a packed year. The only category I could see it is art direction, but even there the competition was tough.

[@CaptainEffort]

@@N.i.E.M.OPlenty of controversial games have been nominated for game awards categories. Unfortunately this was just a really tight year. Also, “lgbtq mafia”? Way to out yourself

[@ladiddas]

This version makes the One S look next gen in comparison

[@Spewa-em8cm]

I mean hardware wise, the One S IS next gen compared to the Switch.

[@ladiddas]

@@Spewa-em8cm Yeah, it’s just funny

[@JulyBoy909]

Hopefully they can fix the framerate issues in some future patches

[@mckinleyfisher-lynd3896]

I still get massive stutters on my RTX 3060 and playing this on my girlfriends switch didnt feel half bad compared to that. If a switch is your main console I think you will have a good time. It's also interesting to see so many people say they are enjoying it and that they are okay with the downgrades but reviewers seem to feel otherwise. I don't know what they expected really.

[@harrisonmudge]

That loading from area to area in an “open world” reminds me of Starfield. I know it’s not a direct comparison but the experience was the same! 😅

[@Michaelgar93]

I wonder what people would rather have . Completely different games like they use to for nintendos hand held ports or heavily downgraded versions of the full game. I’m not sure what I’d prefer

[@judahfalls7704]

Different game would be better but isn't cost effective. For publisher being able to downgrade the game is best. That is why it is important for Switch 2 to make the bare minimum of current gen games.

[@luminous2585]

Can't say what results I'd prefer myself, but I think that a handcrafted approach is generally superior. Making things fit that weren't meant to fit has never really worked in my opinion when it comes to game development.

[@MrVoland44]

its better have downgraded switch version than nonexistent switch version.

[@zeturkey4107]

I miss stuff like the Ghostbusters game on the Wii, where they replaced the photo realistic characters with Saturday morning cartoon versions

[@GenerationZ313]

​@@zeturkey4107I actually wouldn't have minded them doing exactly that here with Hogwarts Legacy on Switch.

[@DarkH4X0]

I think that some things such as the water might still be improved, for example The Witcher 3 Switch port has better water effect right now. Moreover if they managed to make some shops accessible without the loading screen (like the castle indoors) it would be even better. By the way the problem here isn't really about the devs rather Nintendo stil pushing a 2015 mobile chip that was old from the launch

[@GenerationZ313]

I'm still impressed that the developers of The Witcher 3 actually continued to update the Switch port to be on par with the other versions well after the release of the port. They could've just left it in an unpatched or otherwise unoptimized state like so many other ports to the Switch such as WWE 2K18, but they dedicated resources to making sure Nintendo players got their money's worth. Hopefully, the same could be said here, and this Switch port continues to be updated to be as close to the other versions as possible. That said, I wonder if they will optimize this game for whatever Switch successor is releasing in the future.

[@howwasthainetaken]

I do find it ironic that this video is all about framerate and performance issues, while I'm watching this with shitty unstable wifi forcing me to watch at 360p, with it still needing to load every 5-20 seconds

[@mitchboland9591]

Props to the devs here for managing to get this to work honestly. I wouldn’t be caught dead playing this tho

[@peartreez]

Thanks for this one! If i hadnt played it on the Deck at launch i would definitely be okay with how it performs ln Switch and would buy it there no problem.

[@novax4271]

Honestly I’d take this over any mobile game

[@rodneyabrett]

These extreme ports are definitely better to play in portable mode. These visual flaws are less noticeable.

[@Divinicus1er]

It looks incredible for the Switch, I mean, try to run it on your CPU integrated graphics to see if that works.

[@DarkAnomaly]

Sadly there are many people that still believe an integrated graphics card can run anything and then when they learn the hard way that it can't they take to either the Steam Reviews or Forums to cry about it.

[@Secret_Takodachi]

When you have to preface your praise: it rings hollow. Especially for a full price product. 😂

[@Nucleosynthese]

Would love to also see the PC version in these comparisons. Like with all settings enabled for reference..

[@Pack-Man199]

Yeah comparing it to Xbox One S was boring.

[@yournightmare9999]

​@@Pack-Man199yeah like your boring lifestyle

[@Pack-Man199]

@@yournightmare9999 what’s my lifestyle bro. Read it out to me, tell the people about my lifestyle. 🫠🫠🫠

[@tlingitsoldier]

I'm impressed with the effort and the results. The Switch version was never going to be as good as higher powered systems, but this looks like it's still the full experience. And I know it's not totally comparable, but The Witcher 3 had a similar amount of compromises and so many people called out the impossible port. Hopefully everyone complaining about Hogwarts Legacy visuals here can recognize the accomplishment in this port.

[@Honest_Grifter]

I'd be very interested in seeing how much this game could benefit from something like the mclassic on switch, to see if that would clean up a lot of jagged lines and boost the colors a bit. But considering the amount of games we get told "can't run" on the switch, I think this footage looks pretty good for on the go play...

[@MichaelLudden]

Thank you for covering this! Love ALL the Switch Optimization coverage. It's way more fascinating than endless ray tracing vids 🙏

[@SaigonBrit]

agree entirely. It's at the low end where the real skill and innovation is.

[@Ford-wt8rn]

Makes perfect sense you compared it to the One S, given its the next in-line with power. This video basically shows us how this game could look on Switch 2 with the One S comparisons, probably actually better with DLSS and more modern hardware actually.

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

The switch 2 is going to be between the original xbone and PS4... So no, the one s is already more powerful than the original xbone.

[@N.i.E.M.O]

Switch 2 won't be launching until late 2025 at the earliest (probably 2027). And it still won't be anywhere near Xbone levels. It will be pretty similar to current Switch, just like how the Wii was just an upclocked GameCube. But the Switch 2 will have a new revolutionary way to play games to make up for the pitiful increase in power - colored buttons.

[@Ford-wt8rn]

@@N.i.E.M.O Theres no way its releasing in 2025 let alone 2027, not sure what you're smoking.

[@N.i.E.M.O]

@@Ford-wt8rn It's not coming in 2024, bro. I guarantee it. I also guarantee that when it does eventually release, it still won't be as powerful as an Xbox One S.

[@Ford-wt8rn]

@@N.i.E.M.O well we shall see

[@charles1998171]

They did a pretty good job to put it on there still looking good, conserving storage space, not being cloud game, and not coming out looking like MK1. Also the loading times don't even look that bad

[@darthmaul589]

I would have liked to see more of the Steam Deck vs Switch comparisons. Portable play is the reason to play the Switch version. Comparing it to a TV experience isn't as meaningful a metric as comparing it to a platform intended to provide a similar experience.

[@Usaji_]

that's what i call a good porting job, the devs actually went back and changed a lot of stuff so it could fit on the hardware is not a simple "bring all the settings to lowest" type of deal

[@matthewcooper5287]

Might as well port to 360 and PS3 now...

[@malgerx4295]

i highly doubt that would be possible with 512MB of RAM ;-)

[@anusmcgee4150]

@@malgerx4295 Oh it would be possible. It would just have more loading screens than Starfield.

[@Edmundostudios]

Well PS3 and 360 don’t even support UE4 to begin with

[@maxwilliams8067]

I have to disagree on this one; porting a current gen game to a 2017 portable device is a huge feat and the devs have done an admirable job. This version is for people who only own a Switch or want to play on the go, and in that regard, it's a success.

[@sockonacab]

The loading thing is a pain in the ass tbh...

[@Ingel_Riday6690]

Like a lot of others, I'm incredibly impressed that they got Hogwarts Legacy to run on the Switch at all. I enjoy my Switch, but she wasn't a powerhouse when she came out six years ago and she certainly isn't now. Games built with the Switch specifically in mind run great, but ports... been dicey for a long time. This is a good showing. Shame they couldn't quite lock in a solid 30 fps, but I didn't expect them to in the first place.

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

The switch isn't a person... It's an object... It's an it.

[@Pawn2e4]

@@fillerbunnyninjashark271 Beautiful objects may be referred to as she. Like ships, or women

[@Ingel_Riday6690]

@@Pawn2e4 I wasn't going for women as objects, you prankster, but the ship thing... yep. You got me.😛 I have enjoyed the Switch. I fell off Nintendo around the time of the Wii (I'm old) and the Switch roped me back in. A truly lovely console. I wasn't trying to anthropomorphize a machine, fillerbunny. Just speaking fondly of it, the way a sailor would about a schooner. Nautical stuff, baby.

[@Nigel222]

Really enjoyed this game earlier this year. Glad its on Switch now so more people can play it.

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

They're not getting the same experience on the switch... It's significantly worse

[@franzusgutlus54]

They took some notes from Bethesda in the loading screen department...

[@aranthos]

It's no simple feat to make such aggressive optimisations in a game that exists on 3 other systems. (4 if you include the steam deck) The fact they went back to such details like redoing the cliff face or removing books from the top of wardrobes shows how skilled the dev team are at finding good, non major impacting ways to keep the game at as high a quality as the dated system allows. And then you have the pokemon dev team.....

[@Mitch93636]

I can’t believe there is a loading screen to go into Hogsmede, and then another loading screen to go into stores.

[@Booksds]

Reminds me of how Skyrim had a loading screen to go into most of its cities + its interiors! Thankfully modern games like Starfield can… oh

[@darylb889]

I can - Switch has signficantly slower storage than a SSD.

[@Mitch93636]

@@darylb889 I realize that. I was trying to say it as a joke.

[@ni9274]

@@Booksds Starfield reduced the amount of loading screen in cities and heavily increased the texture quality, NPC density and object density, many buildings will be accesible without loading screen , like I spend more time in elevators in Cyberpunk 2077 than in loading screen in Starfield

[@Booksds]

@@ni9274 Yeah, admittedly I went for the low-hanging fruit joke. I think my comment would have been improved without it, as my main goal was to compare HL to similar PS360 era games, rather than to make a cheap jab at Starfield.

[@averagejackmedia609]

They did a fantastic job. Absolute mad lads making this playable on the switch without compromising the artistic direction. It just looks like a proper demake.

[@MontaguStudios]

I'm playing Hogwarts Legacy on the Switch and honestly, the visual downgrade doesn't bother me. As long as the game plays well and the fun factor is still intact, that's all that matters. The main reason I'm playing it on the Switch is so I can play it on the go and in that regard, it delivers. Don't let others pressure you however you want to play your games.

[@JackedStacked21]

Same here

[@rcontrerastaule]

So the deck runs the game with unstable fps and feels worse than swtich or last gen console? Why DF didn't locked the fps to 30? Like switch or last gen console?

[@pobbityboppity1110]

Damn, they basically made an Xbox 360 era port. That’s a pretty wild amount of effort to put into a late Switch version.

[@SOF006]

Despite the massive differences I am honestly astounded about how impressive this port is, its a testament to what a developer can do given the right amount of time. I applaud the developers for such an impressive port of a big open world game like this. But this should be a wake up call to Nintendo that they seriously need to release a more powerful console to keep up with the newer consoles, they can't just keep expecting 3rd party devs from continuing on this path - Its time consuming, difficult and very costly.