The hugely successful gacha gameGenshin Impactwas first announced for the Nintendo Switch three years ago, but it still has yet to make its way to Nintendo’s home console/handheld hybrid. With an open world that has drawn comparisons to the Switch’s ownBreath of the Wild, it stands to reason that many Switch owners would jump at the chance to playGenshin Impacton their console of choice. Unfortunately, they have been waiting quite a long time, with no end in sight.
WhenGenshin Impactwas first released, it launched for mobile devices, PlayStation 4, and PC. One year later,HoYoverse broughtGenshin Impactto PlayStation 5with a native release for Sony’s next-generation console.Genshin Impactstill has yet to make the jump to Nintendo or Xbox platforms, despite the fact that the Nintendo Switch port was first announced all the way back in January of 2020 - months before the game was even released to the public.
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TheGenshin ImpactSwitch port was first announced with a trailer that dropped in January 2020. The brief trailer showedfamiliarGenshin Impactcharacters like Paimonand highlighted the game’s visually-impressive open world. It then concluded with a promise thatGenshin Impactwas “coming soon” to the Nintendo Switch, but the port still has yet to materialize at the time of this writing. In fact, there have been virtually no updates on theGenshin ImpactSwitch port since the first trailer dropped.
It’s unclear why theGenshin ImpactSwitch port hasn’t arrived three years after it was first announced. A lot has changed in the world ofGenshin Impactsince the Switch port was announced. A native PS5 version ofGenshin Impacthas been released, new regions have been added,miHoYo rebranded to HoYoverse, and plenty of new characters and weapons have been introduced to the game as well. Fans have been waiting so long for theGenshin ImpactSwitch port that there’s already talk of a Switch successor console.
Rumors and reports indicate that aSwitch successor consolecould potentially release in 2024. If that’s true, then it may be worthwhile for HoYoverse to simply focus its efforts on that platform instead. It’s true that the Switch has a massive install base that could be huge forGenshin Impact, but at the same time, a new Switch console would presumably be easier to develop for, especially as the free-to-play action-RPG has gotten bigger and more complex in recent years.
Genshin Impactis available now for mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5 with Switch version reportedly in development.
