Nintendo’s Switch 2 has made an impressive start. Within its first year, the console can run demanding releases such as Resident Evil Requiem and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth with relatively few compromises, while Onimusha: Way of the Sword is scheduled to launch alongside its PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions. For Nintendo players accustomed to missing major third-party games on weaker hardware, the new system can seem almost limitless. It is not.
Unreal Engine 5 is proving a serious obstacle
Sandfall Interactive, the studio behind 2025’s Game of the Year-winning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has provided a useful reality check. In a new interview with Automaton Media, co-founder Tom Guillermin said the team would like to bring the RPG to Switch 2, but described the conversion as a “big technical challenge”.
The difficulty is closely tied to Unreal Engine 5. Clair Obscur depends heavily on the engine’s tools, including Blueprints, the node-based scripting system used to assemble gameplay features. Sandfall said that several of those features do not currently work on Switch 2.
Lead character and concept artist Alan Reynaud pointed to Epic’s ongoing engine updates, including Lumen Lite, a version intended to be easier to run than standard Lumen. However, the studio must wait for those improvements and assess what becomes possible as the technology develops. In other words, some Switch 2 ports are partly dependent on Unreal Engine support arriving at the right time.
That matters particularly for smaller teams. A large publisher may be able to fund a long, technically demanding conversion, while an independent studio has to weigh that work against its available people and time. Our arcade news and gaming blog follows similar hardware and industry challenges across the wider games space.
Borderlands 4 and Elden Ring remain important tests
Sandfall is not the only developer to encounter trouble. 2K Games postponed the Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4 last year, citing the need for additional development and polish. Nearly a year later, the release has still not received a new update. Take-Two Interactive chief executive Strauss Zelnick did confirm earlier this year, in an interview with Game File, that the project had not been cancelled.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has followed a different but equally revealing path. Announced during the Switch 2 reveal presentation with a 2025 release window, it was delayed by a year after hands-on impressions at last year’s Gamescom raised significant concerns. It is now due on 28 August.
FromSoftware’s conversion will be a major hardware test. The original open-world game launched on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, so a successful version would demonstrate how well the newer Nintendo system can handle a large, technically ambitious title. The port reportedly appears to be in much better condition than it was last year.
A powerful console still has a ceiling
Capcom and Square Enix appear to have found effective ways to use Switch 2, but those successes do not mean every publisher can follow easily. Getting Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth onto the system takes substantial effort, and the same level of investment may be out of reach for a smaller developer such as Sandfall Interactive.
That makes a complete Switch 2 third-party catalogue unlikely. The limitation could become even clearer if another console generation begins while Nintendo’s current machine is still active. Hardware progress is always relative: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild seemed extraordinary when it arrived as a portable experience in 2017, yet eight years later Switch owners were asking for an upgrade. Switch 2 will eventually face the same cycle.
Game picks and releases
eShop pick: Moss: The Forgotten Relic
The once VR-only Moss series reached consoles this month and suits Switch particularly well. This collection brings together two warm-hearted adventures starring Quill, an appealing little mouse whose journey gives the games a distinctly Nintendo-like charm.
For players who enjoy compact character-driven adventures, a compact bartop arcade can also provide a dedicated space for smaller, focused games.
Nintendo Classics pick: Zero Wing
The arrival of Truxton Extreme makes this a fitting moment to revisit Toaplan creator Tatsuo Matoba’s shoot-’em-up legacy. Mega Drive classic Zero Wing remains best known for the “All your base are belong to us” meme, but it is also a tense science-fiction shooter with an excellent soundtrack. Fans of the genre can browse RETROCADE’s arcade shooting and light-gun range.
Music pick: “Sunset Bay” from Wave Race 64
August has arrived, but the summer atmosphere of Wave Race 64 remains easy to summon. “Sunset Bay” is a bright, prog-rock-leaning track with the energy of an 1980s film soundtrack. Nintendo’s complete playlist of music selections is available here.
Notable releases
- The King is Watching — 29 July, Switch. A roguelite kingdom builder in which you play a ruthless ruler.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition — 30 July, Switch 2. The popular RPG adds performance improvements and a new sword.
- Truxton Extreme — 30 July, Switch 2. A demanding shoot-’em-up revival of an arcade classic.
- Constance — 30 July, Switch and Switch 2. A hand-drawn paintbrush Metroidvania with a 120fps boost on Switch 2.
- Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel — 30 July, Switch 2. An intense action roguelike steeped in Norse mythology.
For readers comparing dedicated gaming hardware at home, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers the key choices before you commit to a cabinet.
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