A Magical Showdown: Unveiling the Common Ground of Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1

Before the start of the Summer Game Fest season, 2023 was already an impressive year for the gaming industry. With the releases of Resident Evil 4 Remake, Dead Space Remake, and Hogwarts Legacy, the year began with a strong lineup. Furthermore, highly anticipated games like Street Fighter 6, Diablo 4, and Final Fantasy 16 were also on the horizon. However, with the conclusion of the Summer Game Fest season, 2023 has become even more promising, potentially making it one of the most remarkable years in gaming history. A significant contributing factor to this is the upcoming release of Mortal Kombat 1.

Just a month ago, the announcement of Mortal Kombat 1 created a wave of excitement among gamers. With its release scheduled for September 19, 2023, it is only three months away from hitting store shelves. Despite September being a crowded month for game releases, Mortal Kombat 1 confidently stands at the forefront, closely following Starfield. However, there is one potential obstacle that may hinder the success of Mortal Kombat 1 and place it in a similar situation as Hogwarts Legacy.

Mortal Kombat 1 and Hogwarts Legacy Could Have Vastly Inferior Switch Ports

The release of Nintendo Switch ports for Mortal Kombat 1 and Hogwarts Legacy later this year could potentially lead to disastrous outcomes for both games. After the immense success of Hogwarts Legacy on next-gen and previous-gen consoles, it is understandable that Warner Bros. would want to extend its reach to the Nintendo Switch. However, this endeavor may prove to be an extremely challenging task.

Originally scheduled for a July 2023 release, the Nintendo Switch port of Hogwarts Legacy has once again been delayed, this time to November 14, 2023. This leaves Avalanche, the developer, with less than five months to ensure that the game can run smoothly on the significantly less powerful Nintendo Switch. However, accomplishing this feat is much easier said than done. Hogwarts Legacy is an enormous game, featuring a vast map, intricate and interconnected mechanical systems, and demanding graphics. While Avalanche was able to optimize the game for the PS4 and Xbox One, it undoubtedly required a considerable amount of effort, resulting in compromises such as longer loading times and inferior performance. It is highly likely that even more compromises will need to be made in order to bring Hogwarts Legacy to the Switch.

Mortal Kombat 1 and Hogwarts Legacy, on the other hand, face the challenge of being released on the Nintendo Switch, which is known to have outdated hardware. Unlike The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which was specifically designed and optimized for the system, these games don't have the advantage of being first-party Nintendo titles with extensive development time.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.