Hands On: We've Played Witcher 3 On Nintendo Switch, And It's A Work Of Magic | Nintendolife

"Our hands-on experience with ‘Switcher’ in Handheld mode was utterly convincing, and with a chance to speak the Senior Producer at CD Projekt Red, Piotr Chrzanowski, we learned more about how such dark arts were even possible." - Paul Davies, Nintendolife

[SkatterBrain]

im Surprised cause it looked Bad on the GPD Win 2 that Runs DOOM Better than Switch

[IamTylerDurden1]

The weird thing is, many ppl claim the only true way to experience TW3 is on a powerful PC in 4K, yet journalists are raving about an extremely gimped 540p version? Nintendo really can do no wrong, huh?

Of all multiplats TW3 is the one u hear about the most being a whole new experience on PC and being a far lesser experience on console. The funny thing is, TW3 runs in the 4K/CB 4K range with HDR on my PS4 Pro yet it's still considered a shell of what it is on PC. I can't imagine how a 540p version with no HDR, a lesser framerate, pop-in, and dialed down fx would be by comparison to even the PS4/XB1 version let alone PC?

[DarkKaine]

It doesn't have to. This port isn't made for you or me. It's made for people that exclusively own a Switch and/or love the portable experience. Franchise exposure is a win/win scenario. They can port it to a toaster for all I care.

[TheFirstClassic]

I haven't heard anyone say the only way to experience tw3 is in 4k, that would be a dumb opinion regardless.

[mikeslemonade]

Lol why bother with 540p on switch. I played Witcher 3 on 980ti at the time and I felt like that was not that good of an experience. Let alone playing it on PS Pro or the crappy base consoles.

[Neonridr]

I think the mere fact it runs and runs stable is the most surprising thing. Imagine playing the Witcher on a device just slightly bigger than a Galaxy Note. Most non-Switch owners don't truly understand that reasoning until they actually hold the thing and realize just what they are playing.

Nobody said it was the best version, this article isn't even saying anything close to that. They are marvelling at the fact that it works when other people's less demanding games were buggy messes.

Just goes to show you that with proper optimization, almost anything is possible.

[Sirk7x]

It's because many people in the industry are older, late 20s, 30s or older, and aren't focused entirely on graphic fidelity. When you grew up with a NES and a Gameboy, everything is incredible these days. It's just taken for granted.
You can't deny that running Witcher 3 on a <10W mobile chip is a pretty impressive technological feat.

[AuraAbjure]

I beat TW3 on xbox one years ago and I can say a high end PC would have offered a significantly different experience for certain.

[Ratchet75]

I tried the game at gamescom yesterday and I must say the game looks like a ps3 game textures wise but run really great. Still too expensive imo but great effort nonetheless.

[Outlawzz]

I'm excited for Witcher on switch. I never got to finish it on console and never payed full price for it, just rented, so I'm happy to pay full price for the portable game so I can soak in all that story open world goodness. Switch has kept my gaming hobby alive in this busy world lol go on and hate me !

[Kumakai]

meh. i'd rather be playing it on the One X or PS4 Pro, where it feels like an epic, beautiful experience. The Switch version looks like garbage in comparison. the resolution is completely aliased, the pop-in is unbearable and exists in even small camera moves, the effects are way dialed back and sparse and some of the animations even suffer. no thanks. This is a great example of a game that would be better streamed to a mobile device at console to pc quality than played on a weak handheld. Switch is fine for mario/zelda/splatoon whatever... these games tho are meant to be epic experiences.

[IamTylerDurden1]

540p, no?

[Neonridr]

all the time? I heard dynamic 720p. Or are you talking about handheld?

[InKnight7s]

Great for Switch players. If anyone whether Nintendo fan or anti Nintendo want to compare this to any superior version he is out of mind, this isn't suppose to be graphics hit and please don't start that portable as advantage shit. This game just for whom want to experience on Switch no matter how awful the graphics is. Cdprojekt proven to be high tier developers by releasing their amazing demanding game even on such weak console. That's why I am supporting them, although I can't trust first person RPG games, but I will trust Cyperpunk 2077.

[EddieNX]

Portability represents and advantage over stationary home consoles whereas they offer the advantage of better graphics. This is an indisputable fact.

Comparing a Vita to a Ps4 you.can see the clear difference between a portable and a home console.

[InKnight7s]

While I agree portability is an advantage but really not all people using it, only Japanese community who are really into playing outside, most of the world using portables like Vita, 3ds, Ds, PSP as portable inside the house at sofa, or laying on bed, I myself owned Switch once and only played it once outside. Never seen any of my friends playing it outside home, never seen anyone playing Switch outside. I can easily state than less than 30% or even less than 20% who really taking Switch and using it as portable as it could everywhere. But hey my main point as The Witcher 3 on the Switch to deliver the experience no matter what the cost, and is not releasing there to show the graphics or the smoothness.

[Neonridr]

I use my Switch in handheld more than I do in docked. Simply because with a wife and two kids I don't have use of the TV all the time. My Pro sits there half the time while I play my Switch sitting in the same room or on my bed (or at work).

The choices come down to less time with a more visual experience, or more time with a watered down version. It's still the same game at the end of the day. Was TLOU a bad game on PS3 because it was 720p? Just because the Remastered edition exists on the PS4 means that the PS3 version is now suddenly hot garbage?

[sushimama]

I thought it looked absolutely terrible in that trailer. I can't believe such a downgrade was even possible. But I'm sure it will look ok on the small screen. But dock it into your TV? Then you will see literall shit on screen.

[Sirk7x]

I mean, Nintendo is launching an entire line of Switch handhelds that will never connect to a screen, and TW3 will still be very playable on them. The Switch Lite is pretty much the size of a Vita, slightly bigger. Graphical fidelity reduction aside, the entire game experience is still there. You don't think that's pretty awesome?

[sushimama]

Nah not really to be honest.