Since its launch in 2020, Genshin Affect has remained one of the performed video video games on the planet alongside the tactical first-person shooter Valorant. On the time of launch, the developer and writer of Genshin Affect, HoYoverse, introduced that the sport would come to the Nintendo Swap. This was welcome information. Nonetheless, it’s 2024 and we nonetheless haven’t heard of a Swap launch. On this article, we’ll take a look at the historical past of Genshin Affect within the online game trade and why the announcement of a Swap launch is essential.
First Issues First…
We already established that Genshin Affect is without doubt one of the most-played video video games on the planet. Its open-world motion RPG components took a web page from Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was then a preferred sport. The multi-platform and free-to-play format of Genshin Affect attracted a variety of gamers from each the natural fanbase of the HoYoverse players, and the brand new gamers who didn’t have something new to play due to the CoVID-19 pandemic.
The sport was an immediate hit. It garnered a variety of media consideration alongside Valorant and Animal Crossing: New Horizons and it spawned a multimedia franchise. It additionally served as a template for future ARPG (motion role-playing sport) like Wuthering Waves. Whereas its inspiration, The Legend of Zelda, continued to set a benchmark in storytelling.
All of those sum as much as Genshin Affect being a future “biggest online game of all time.”
The Swap Announcement
In January 2021, HoYoverse introduced a significant transfer: bringing Genshin Affect to the Nintendo Swap. This got here as no shock to those that anticipated a multi-platform launch. In any case, the Swap can rival smartphone that may run Genshin Affect on full settings. HoYoverse themselves have additionally launched a trailer for the Swap port.
Nonetheless, this turned a roadblock.
The Swap and Genshin Affect went in numerous instructions. Whereas there isn’t any official announcement of the event part for the Swap port, ir can solely be assumed that due to the quite a few updates and patches to the sport that the Swap could not be capable of sustain. This additionally comes with the consideration that Nintendo is the one one left within the earlier era of consoles/handhelds with the Swap. However, as proven within the official trailer, the Swap can run the cinematics.
If something, the port of Sega’s Phantasy Star On-line 2: New Genesis (PSO2) is an efficient instance of builders with the ability to port their open-world sport to restricted {hardware}. Sure, the Swap is taken into account restricted when it comes to {hardware} specs. Take a look at the system necessities for PSO2 on the PC and take a look at the {hardware} specs of the Swap. You recognize there’s a large compromise that must be addressed through the improvement. Should you’re not conversant in the releases of PSO2, the sport was additionally launched on the PlayStation Vita.
However that didn’t hinder Sega’s plans to launch PSO2 on the Swap a minimum of in Japan.
What’s taking HoYoverse so lengthy for Genshin Affect to make it to the Swap will stay a thriller till they formally announce the discharge of the sport.
The preliminary 2021 announcement continues to be an essential occasion in Genshin Affect’s historical past. That is due to the plain competitors of the sport to its inspiration, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. A free-to-play sport going head-to-head towards the gold commonplace of ARPG and storytelling. What extra may Swap customers ask for, proper?
However that’s the place our story ends. Not less than for now.
It might come too late for the sport to be launched on another platform than it’s on proper now, and with many video games following its path, the relevance of a Genshin Affect on the Swap could diminish additional.