The reason for releasing LEGO Horizon Adventures on Switch is, among other things, to “broaden the audience”.
One of the biggest surprises of Summer Game Fest 2024 was LEGO Horizon Adventures, an action-adventure game developed by Guerrilla Games together with Studio Gobo. In addition to the game having a very fresh and original LEGO look, it has been confirmed that the title will also be coming to Nintendo Switch.
This was one of the more unexpected elements as it is a PlayStation IP, but there is a very simple explanation for this.
It was Guerrilla Games narrative director James Windeler who explained (via VGC) why LEGO Horizon will not debut on the PlayStation or PC platforms. “It was just a really unique opportunity for us. It was a natural fit for the ambitions that we had. […] We want this to be for everyone, and the Switch is really a platform that allows us to broaden the audience” he explained. He then starts talking about the Joy-Con.
“That ethos goes all the way through the game, from the control schemes which are quite simple, [for example] it works on a single Joy-Con, and then also the simplification of the story, the lightening of the themes, the humor – it’s all part of the same ambition.” Windeler tells Eurogamer that “the Switch was kind of perfect for that. The control scheme is simple, it’s designed to be played on a Nintendo Joy-Con, and of course they have a very family-friendly audience, so it’s just a really good fit.”
The Switch will help it reach a wider audience and promote the Guerilla Horizon universe.
The Switch “is absolutely there to help us bring in and get that younger audience and we’re so excited about that – but the game itself does also appeal to Horizon fans who expect a certain amount of tactical combat experience, so that’s in there as well.” It is worth noting that LEGO Horizon Adventures will debut in the last quarter of this year. In addition to Nintendo Switch, it will also be available on PS5 and PC.
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