Highlights
- LEGO Horizon Adventures will be the first Sony first-party game on Nintendo Switch, a move aimed at broadening the game's audience.
- The decision to launch on Switch was a deliberate choice, according to the narrative director.
- The game's design choices, such as simplified controls, classic LEGO humor, and single joy-con support, cater to a wider audience.
LEGO Horizon Adventures co-developer Guerrilla Games has clarified its somewhat controversial decision to launch the game on Nintendo Switch, stating that it was an intentional move. PlayStation formally revealed LEGO Horizon Adventures at the recent Summer Game Fest presentation as a lighter, family-friendly spin-off of the brand's critically acclaimed Horizon series.
The game's cheerful nature and beautiful visuals are undoubtedly characteristic of a LEGO title, but many were shocked to see LEGO Horizon Adventures confirm a Nintendo Switch release alongside PlayStation 5 and PC. This marks the very first time an in-house PlayStation IP will make its way to the Switch, that too day and date. Unsurprisingly, the multiplatform release sparked lots of debate among fans, wondering whether it could've been a licensing mandate by LEGO. The game is also being partly developed by Studio Gobo, which may have diminished Sony's bargaining power further as Guerrilla isn't the lead studio.
LEGO Horizon Adventures' Switch Release is a Pleasant Surprise, But Nintendo Fans Shouldn’t Get Too Excited
The planned arrival of LEGO Horizon Adventures on Switch will mark the first, and potentially last, time a Sony first-party game comes to the console.
The rationale isn't unreasonable as Sony has struggled with exclusivity for licensed IP in the past, most notably MLB The Show and its Xbox release mandate. However, Guerrilla Games narrative director James Windeler has seemingly dispelled that notion in a recent interview with VGC, stating that the decision to launch LEGO Horizon Adventures on Switch was a "unique opportunity" for the team and a "natural fit" for its ambitions with the game. Windeler continued, "I keep mentioning it, but we want this to be for everyone, and the Switch is really a platform that allows us to broaden the audience."
LEGO Horizon Adventures Was Developed With the Switch in Mind
Windeler explained how this ethos is evident throughout the game via design choices such as simplifying the control scheme and the story, whittling down the franchise's serious themes, introducing the classic LEGO humor, and more. He also confirmed that LEGO Horizon Adventures can be played on a single joy-con, which should make for very approachable gameplay. LEGO Horizon Adventures will also bring back customization in a big way, allowing players to not only adorn characters like Aloy and Varl with unique costumes, but also decorate the main hub of the game with a Ferris wheel, disco floor, and more.
I keep mentioning it, but we want this to be for everyone, and the Switch is really a platform that allows us to broaden the audience.
The messaging around Sony's exclusivity approach for its first-party games has been a hot topic in recent memory, as the company announced during a corporate strategy meeting in May that its live-service titles will be simultaneously released on PC and PS5. However, LEGO Horizon Adventures isn't billed as a live-service game, yet it's launching on PC and Switch day and date, which is an unexpected deviation from Sony's prior commitments. It remains to be seen if PlayStation will consider more such multiplatform releases in the future, especially if LEGO Horizon Adventures reports strong sales numbers.
LEGO Horizon Adventures
LEGO Horizon Adventures gives Guerrilla Games' Horizon post-apocalyptic universe a brick-themed makeover. While Aloy takes center stage, the game does not have to be a solo ride and supports co-op.
