Switch 2 runs „like a mid-tier PC” according to third-party developers

Several third-party developers have shared their thoughts about bringing their games to the Switch 2. For some of them, development has been ongoing for many months before anyone even saw the first trailer about Nintendo’s new console. One of the biggest questions leading up to this release is how it will compare to existing consoles, and perhaps even more pressing, how it will fair in a market where Nintendo is now not the only handheld gaming device.

Switch 2 runs “like a mid-tier PC” according to third-party developers

Stephen Totilo, also known as the writer behind the excellent site Game File, had the opportunity to get hands on with the Nintendo Switch 2 on the day of the Nintendo Direct. He shared some conversations with three key-third-party developers who were featured in the showcase. Totilo spoke with the developers of Civilization VII, a game that recently launched on the original Switch alongside other platforms as well. This game was of particular interest given the confirmation of Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Cons having the rumored mouse functionality. When asked about the process of getting Civ VII to run on the Switch 2, Dennis Shirk, executive producer for the Civ franchise, said: “We were able to make this look like a mid-tier PC, because it’s got enough power.”

This is great news to Nintendo fans who are hoping for a more powerful sequel console. For years, the Nintendo Switch has largely been forced to avoid adding the biggest triple A games to its library on launch because the Switch just did not have the horsepower. Eventually, many games make the jump, but it is usually at some level of cost. For example, Totilo also talked to the team behind 2023’s smash hit Hogwarts Legacy. The game became available on the original Switch six months after it launched elsewhere, and the team had to make compromises. When talking to Totilo, Rob Nelson, the head of technology at Avalanche Software, said: “In Hogsmeade we had to load before,” explaining that when running on the Switch 1, Hogwarts Legacy could not have the same freely explorable world. But this is not the case on the Switch 2.

Finally, Totilo also shared part of his conversation with Greg Kasavin, the co-founder of Supergiant Games, whose upcoming Hades 2 is planned to arrive on the Switch 2. The most notable inclusion here is the comparison to the Steam Deck, perhaps Nintendo’s current best competitor when it comes to handheld gaming. Kasavin told Game File, “Our game runs at a target 60 frames per second on each of these devices.” So, at least for Hades 2, the Nintendo Switch 2 will be on a level with the Steam Deck.

This is some much-needed good news for the Nintendo Switch 2, given fans recent and continued outrage over game prices. While the new console may end up worth its cost, that exact figure has yet to be determined for U.S. buyers. After announcing that the console will cost $449.99 after the Direct last Wednesday, Nintendo has since delayed pre-orders in the U.S. due to tariffs. It seems that sometime in the next week, U.S. buyers may end up paying significantly more for the new console.

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February 11, 2025

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• Nintendo
• Civilization (franchise)
• Nintendo Switch
• Hogwarts Legacy (series)