Hogwarts Legacy loses seamless open world, hit with lengthy loading times

If fans had to choose the best aspect of Hogwarts Legacy, perhaps many would choose its open world.

Hogwarts Legacy is set during the 1890s, long before the likes of Fantastic Beasts and especially Harry Potter. Its story is also non-canon, but that hasn't stopped the developers of Avalanche Software from creating an immersive and authentic Wizarding World.

Check out the Hogwarts Legacy Nintendo Switch trailer below!

In terms of its open world, the Hogwarts Castle has been praised by fans offering a visual spectacle of exploration that Harry Potter fans could have only previously dreamed of. What’s more, its surrounding areas such as the Great Lake, the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Village are a joy to behold. Say what you might about Hogwarts Legacy, but it’s hard to dispute the quality of its stunning world.

Sadly, however, depending on your platform of choice, you might not be able to explore the open world of Hogwarts Legacy as originally intended. That’s at least for gamers on Nintendo Switch. As detailed on the YouTube channel SwitchUp, they have put together a very handy comparison video for Hogwarts Legacy for PC and Nintendo Switch. The video should also closely resemble the game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The open world of Hogwarts Legacy on PC, PlayStation and Xbox is completely free to explore, albeit with the odd loading screen. Unfortunately on Nintendo Switch, the world is not seamlessly open as it's broken up with loading screens as you enter a new area as well as the shops in Hogsmeade Village. As expected, the game is also hit with a big visual and performance downgrade slumping below 30 frames per second.

I think it's important not to get carried away. For starters, the power of the Nintendo Switch is closer to the PS4 and Xbox One than it is compared to new-gen consoles. So it stands to reason that compromises will have to be made in order to allow this demanding game to function on Nintendo’s hybrid system.

That being said, as long as Hogwarts Legacy remains an enjoyable experience on the Nintendo Switch, it’s got to be a major selling point being able to play the action RPG on the go. Over the years, the Nintendo Switch has been able to work wonders by running the likes of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dying Light, Alien: Isolation and more. So hopefully Hogwarts Legacy will also join that elite group.

Hogwarts Legacy is out now on PC, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.