Nintendo has just released Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition digitally, meaning the classic Monolith Soft RPG has finally been given the performance upgrade it’s needed for yonks.
You can check out our updated review for a few impressions on the new release, but the tech boffins over at Digital Foundry have also provided their own analysis on how Nintendo’s latest Switch 2 Edition holds up.
In short, it’s a pretty good upgrade. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is perhaps the most notorious entry in the series when it comes to visuals and performance on the original Switch, and it’s the one that unequivocally needed the most TLC.
In docked mode, you’re getting a 720p internal resolution that’s been given a nice ol’ boost from temporal upscaling. Image quality is much better with sharper edges, though its noted that it could be utilising similar tech seen in Xenoblade Chronicles X on Switch 2, resulting in some texture softness. It’s not displaying at true 4K clarity, but it’s a sizeable upgrade.
As for handheld, while the original Switch dropped its resolution down to a staggeringly low 368p, the new Switch 2 Edition displays image quality that’s generally better than the original release in docked mode, despite an internal resolution of roughly 468p.
Performance is a huge step up too, with the game hitting 60fps with a few dips here and there in both docked and handheld modes. It’s possible VRR might be in use in handheld mode, as DF states that performance is perceptually a bit better than docked.
It’s also worth noting that a few other enhancements have been implemented, including increased grass density during exploration, improvements to depth-of-field effects, and minor improvements to lighting.
Overall, it’s a solid improvement, and one we’ve been waiting an awful long time for. The physical edition of the game is scheduled to launch on 1st October 2026, while Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will launch both digitally and physically on 3rd December.
