I’ve been playing Genshin Impact since the first Lantern Rite, and I’ve also owned every Nintendo console since the Game Boy Advance. So when Nintendo finally launched the Switch 2 in June 2025, I did what any self-respecting gacha addict would do: I cleared my schedule, bought the console, and waited for HoYoverse to drop Genshin Impact on it. Fast forward to 2026, and I’m still waiting. It’s like being promised a five-star character and getting a debate club instead. 😤
Let’s rewind. Genshin Impact came out in September 2020 and proceeded to print money like a Snezhnayan factory running on overtime. Over $3.9 billion in revenue across PlayStation, PC, and mobile. It made gacha mainstream outside Asia. And it wore its Breath of the Wild inspiration on its sleeve—gliding, stamina, open world—so much that people called it a clone. But it grew into its own beast. And yet, the one platform that inspired it? Nintendo. The one platform it never officially landed on? Also Nintendo. That’s like a chef refusing to cook in the restaurant that taught them everything. 🍳
The original Switch was too weak. I get it. Genshin is surprisingly demanding; my old phone used to heat up like a Pyro Whopperflower. The Switch 2, though, is a different story. It’s got the horsepower, the RAM, the DLSS magic—it could run Teyvat at 60fps without breaking a sweat. So why isn’t Genshin on it? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe HoYoverse is busy with other projects. Maybe Nintendo and HoYoverse are stuck in a contract negotiation that moves slower than a Geo Samachurl. Or maybe they just forgot. I don’t know. But I do know that a Switch 2 port would be a match made in Celestia.
Here’s the thing: Genshin Impact was announced for the Switch in January 2020. That’s six years ago. Six! I’ve changed jobs, moved apartments, and watched the entire Sumeru archon quest since then. The Switch 2 launched in 2025 without Genshin. It was a glaring omission, like showing up to a potluck without any food. The launch lineup was fine—Mario Kart, some third-party stuff—but Genshin would have been the ultimate flex. A massive, free-to-play, cross-platform RPG with millions of players? That’s a system seller. Instead, we got radio silence.
Let’s compare, shall we?
| Platform | Genshin Impact available? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | ✅ Yes | Since 2020 |
| PC | ✅ Yes | Since 2020 |
| PS4/PS5 | ✅ Yes | Since 2020 |
| Xbox Series X/S | ✅ Yes | Since 2024 |
| Nintendo Switch | ❌ No | Announced 2020, never released |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | ❌ No | As of early 2026, still MIA |
That table hurts my soul. It’s like a party where everyone got invited except the person who brought the snacks. And the snacks are Genshin. 🍿
Now, I’m not naive. Porting Genshin to Switch 2 isn’t a copy-paste job. It’s a live-service game with constant updates, cross-save, and a massive open world. But HoYoverse has done harder things. They ported it to Xbox. They optimized it for mobile. They even made a cloud version for some regions. The Switch 2 is more than capable. The only thing missing is the will. And maybe a little bit of Nintendo’s secret sauce.
If I were in charge, I’d shadow-drop Genshin Impact on Switch 2 tomorrow. No fanfare, no six-month marketing campaign. Just a tweet: “Teyvat is open. See you there.” The internet would explode. Switch 2 sales would spike. HoYoverse would get a whole new audience of Nintendo loyalists who’ve never touched a gacha. It’s a win-win. And for those of us who’ve been waiting since 2020, it would feel like finally getting that 5-star on pity. 🎉
So here I am, in 2026, still hoping. The Switch 2 is a great console. But every time I look at its home screen, I see an empty space where Genshin should be. It’s like a teapot without a character inside—functional, but sad. HoYoverse, Nintendo, if you’re listening: it’s not too late. Make it happen. I’ll even buy the battle pass. Again.