Genshin Impact on Nintendo Switch: Still waiting

When Genshin Impact first launched in 2020 on PS4, PC, and Mobile platforms, it quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. It was an instant success, fusing a gorgeous aesthetic with an action-based battle system, spread out across a wide, open world. There was an immeasurable boom, and within months, Genshin Impact had been downloaded tens of millions of times. However, by early-2022, Genshin Impact is yet to be realised on Nintendo Switch, despite fans crying out for a launch.

Within just one year, Genshin Impact became a record-setting game. Although it’s inherently free-to-play, there is a monetisation mechanic, and this enabled the platform to gross more than $3 billion in the first year alone. As time has gone on, Genshin Impact has become increasingly popular, but fans are still wondering when the game will come to Nintendo Switch.

Genshin Impact Switch: Why Hasn’t It Released Yet?

Image Credit: Game Wallpapers

Realistically, there’s no ‘real reason’ why Genshin Impact on Switch doesn’t exist just yet. By now, the title has launched on PS5, PS4, PC, iOS, and Android platforms, but it’s yet to make an appearance on Nintendo Switch, arguably the platform with the biggest demand for the title. Why hasn’t Genshin Impact been released on Switch yet?

The developers of the title have explained that the Nintendo Switch version of Genshin Impact is ‘in the works’. So, it stands to reason that it will launch one day in the near future, but we just don’t know when that day will arrive. There’s an understandable issue between Genshin Impact and Breath of the Wild, a similar title that exists as something of a flagship game for the Nintendo Switch.

Breath of the Wild features an extremely similar aesthetic, story, and playstyle, and there’s another Breath of the Wild game on the horizon. Should Genshin Impact on Switch finally be released, it would conflict somewhat with Breath of the Wild (and the second iteration) and create something of a competition. Ultimately, Breath of the Wild is a first-party Nintendo title, and it may be that Nintendo itself is preventing Genshin Impact from releasing on the Switch platform.

The Long Wait for Genshin Impact

It was more than two years ago that the developers of Genshin Impact released a ‘coming soon’ trailer for the Switch version.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that this trailer doesn’t show anything Switch-specific, although it does stand as something of a promise for the release of the title. More than two years later, fans are still left wondering if Genshin Impact Switch will ever materialise.

If the developers are going to capitalise on the demand, they’ll need to act soon. As the release date for the new Breath of the Wild game draws closer, the launch of Genshin Impact Switch will become increasingly unlikely. Should the title release right now, it’ll ‘fill a void’ left in players up until Breath of the Wild 2 does eventually launch.

Let’s wait and see what happens.