Highly-Rated PS5 Console Exclusive Jumping Ship to Switch…

Critically-acclaimed puzzle game Viewfinder is finally confirmed to arrive on Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch later this year. Having previously been available only on PS5, PS4, and PC, Viewfinder is shedding its PlayStation console exclusivity and opening the doors for a wider audience to experience its novel reality-warping gameplay.

Developed by Scottish team Sad Owl Studios, Viewfinder originally launched in 2023 and quickly stood out as one of the most inventive puzzle titles in recent years, drawing comparisons to other perception-bending games like Superliminal and The Witness. Viewfinder even took home accolades like Best British Game and New Intellectual Property at the 2023 BAFTAs, Game Designers Award at the Japan Game Awards 2024, and a bevy of nominations everywhere else. After over two years of PlayStation and PC exclusivity, Viewfinder is now slated to expand to Xbox and Nintendo.

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By Dalton Cooper

Sad Owl Studios has confirmed that Viewfinder will launch on Xbox Series X/S on August 12, 2025, with a Nintendo Switch version set to follow later in the year. A new accolades trailer for Viewfinder announces the news, showing off snippets of its first-person puzzle adventure gameplay where players manipulate the world using photography. Central to Viewfinder's gameplay is a camera that can take photographs, which are then placed into the game's environment to reshape it.

Photography Puzzle Game Viewfinder Coming to Xbox on August 12, Followed by Switch Later in 2025

As players progress in Viewfinder, they unlock the ability to bring not just photos, but paintings, sketches, and screenshots to life, solving puzzles and traversing seemingly impossible spaces in the process. Viewfinder has also accrued praise for its gradual difficulty curve, which encourages experimentation without overwhelming players. Coming to the narrative, Viewfinder's story is subtly delivered via journal entries, ambient recordings, and the gentle guidance of a talking cat named Cait. While the story touches on deep themes like loss and human ambition, it's designed to be as deep or light as the player desires.

In fact, Viewfinder can be completed in as little as five hours, making it a suitable weekend romp with innovative puzzle gameplay. Hopefully, Xbox and Switch users who waited to play Viewfinder for more than two years will tune in on day one and enjoy the game. It should also be interesting to see what Sad Owl Studios has planned for Viewfinder, now that it'll be accessible on a much broader set of platforms. Many Viewfinder fans have expressed interest in DLC or a sequel that could address some of the complaints surrounding the game and further improve its novel gameplay, but Sad Owl Studios hasn't confirmed such plans yet.

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