Ahead of Nintendo’s next Direct presentation (“Nindai”), speculation has spread across 5channel’s hardware/industry board (Geha) that the hit free-to-play game Genshin Impact will finally be announced for Switch 2. A Switch version of Genshin Impact was officially teased back in January 2020, but years have passed with no concrete follow-up since. The thread saw a split between users who think Nintendo is being cautious about approving character gacha monetization, and those who argue there’s no issue since other free-to-play titles are already available on the platform. Others pointed to Switch 2’s storage capacity as a potential sticking point, making for a mix of anticipation and skepticism.
This has gotta be it.
Switch 2's true potential is finally about to be unleashed!
Guess you don't own a PC after all.
A Switch release for Genshin Impact was actually confirmed a long time ago, you know?
Confirmed for release on Nintendo Switch™
Announced: January 14, 2020
We have decided to release our new title 'Genshin Impact,' currently in development for PlayStation 4, smartphones, and PC, on Nintendo Switch as well.
A teaser site and trailer movie have also been released.
https://genshin.mihoyo.com/switch/
Please look forward to further updates.
https://genshin.hoyoverse.com/m/ja/news/detail/104522
Ah, this is clearly timed to line up with that.
The 'wall' crowd (5ch slang for diehards begging to keep games PS-exclusive): 'Please, please stay PS-exclusive!!!!'
Genshin Impact, together with Nintendo: 'No thanks.'
Lmao, the wall crowd's got nowhere left to run.
I really want Genshin on Switch 2.
It's on Xbox too, you know.
Not interested so I haven't played it, but stuff like Wuthering Waves is too.
Oh, and Xenoblade or Fire Emblem are for 'normal people'?
It's originally a phone game anyway, so once it releases everyone will probably ditch that non-portable junk (PS5) and switch over to Switch 2.
This one game alone will eat up almost all the internal storage, leaving no room for anything else.
According to datamines, it'll reportedly use the mobile version's assets.
Yeah, that's likely.
It'll probably eat up 100GB.
Of course they do.
Phones are awkward to play on since there's no controller, but Switch 2 has a controller AND is portable just like a phone.
It's basically the ideal hardware for it.
Uh…
It's PS5's number one game, you know?
Forget PS5 — as of right now this year, Genshin is the highest-grossing mobile game, period.
Just stay holed up on PS.
Well, it does eat up time and storage.
Those aren't infinite, so it could have some impact.
I don't think it's coming at all, because Nintendo will reject it.
Are people who hate free-to-play games seriously just old guys who don't actually play games?
There's tons of them out there already.
Even if they want to release it, it probably can't pass Nintendo's approval because of the gacha.
Of course it wasn't announced right after the datamine leak — it was still in development.
Timing-wise, it wouldn't be strange for it to show up next time.
If Genshin takes up 150GB, that's an extra 10,000 yen in setup costs alone lol.
I mean, if some Animal Crossing knockoff and Breath of the Wild knockoff show up and everyone gets hooked on those instead, it's game over for a lot of things.
Wait, PS5 is really finished?
https://animulanook.com/jp/
Someone else must've been blocking it.
I mean, Apex and Fortnite are already on there.
Nintendo was probably just rejecting that one Breath of the Wild knockoff specifically.
To be precise (sorry for bringing this up late), it seems like it's character gacha specifically that gets rejected — does that game have character gacha?
You'll save up enough Primogems to pull 4 limited characters a year,
and if that's all you're pulling, you'll have enough leveling materials too.
With only 4 characters a year you can't get constellations (dupes), and you won't be able to build two full teams for the Spiral Abyss.
You'll also have to settle for 4-star weapons from the monthly pass.
If you don't need the top reward,
you can just throw together two so-so teams and still clear 6 stars.
Buying the Battle Pass just to get the full 9 stars for a measly 100 Primogems isn't worth it lol.
That's fine if you're doing a compromise build that skips the Spiral Abyss, sure.
The last Direct was the perfect timing for it.
Apparently it's hitting its 6th anniversary this month.
Could be good timing?
Though who knows if it'll actually release this month.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
In January 2020, Nintendo’s official site teased a Switch version of Genshin Impact, but there’s been no word since — fueling both hope that “it’s finally happening” and skepticism that “it’ll be a letdown again.” The thread mainly split over two points. One is the view that Nintendo is cautious about approving free-to-play titles that include character gacha, though some pushed back citing other free-to-play games already available on the platform. The other is Switch 2’s storage capacity: some pointed out that Genshin Impact’s data, estimated at over 100GB, would strain the system, with jabs made comparing this to the price of Nintendo’s newly released microSD Express Card (512GB, 28,980 yen). It was also noted that as of September 2026, Genshin Impact is approaching its 6th anniversary of service, which some saw as a point in favor of an announcement being well-timed.
※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Hardware/Industry board (Geha)) thread “[Breaking] Buzz That This Time’s Nintendo Direct Main Reveal Is Genshin Impact [Hajicchi 2].”
