It’s been nearly a month since the launch of the massively anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console. As part of our release coverage, we had the chance to interview two developers from game studio Virtuos to discover their initial thoughts and experiences with the latest console to enter the games market.

Virtuos may not be a household name to most of the public, but they have been in the industry for over twenty years, during which they have helped co-develop or port several noteworthy games, such as Heavy Rain, Horizon Zero Dawn, L.A. Noire, Dark Souls Remastered, Astral Chain, Cyberpunk 2077, Outriders, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Hogwarts Legacy, and most recently The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, to name a few.

Our Nintendo Switch 2 questions were answered by Alex Heise, Director of Business Development at Virtuos North America, and Eoin O’ Grady, Technical Director at Black Shamrock, a Virtuos subsidiary that contributed to Back 4 Blood, Starlink: Battle for Atlas, Grounded, Destroy All Humans!, Kerbal Space Program 2, The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition, and Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

Firstly, Nintendo recently announced that the Switch 2 sold over 3.5 million units in the first four days, making it the fastest-selling console ever in that timeframe. Were you expecting this level of success? What’s your outlook for the console’s near future?

Eoin: Given the phenomenal success of the Switch, expectations for the sales performance of the Switch 2 were already quite high. Nintendo has a huge pool of loyal fans, but alongside that, the handheld gaming market is growing right now — and I’m not talking about smartphones. The original Switch, along with the Steam Deck and other high-quality handheld gaming rigs, has contributed to growth in this area. Gamers increasingly want AAA games on the go, and so I think we will see the Switch 2 surpass its predecessor. This is precisely because it is a Nintendo console, renowned for innovation and its unique gameplay experiences, and because it meets the growing demand for gaming on the go — offering indie gems, Nintendo exclusives, and now AAA blockbuster titles.

Alex: As the fastest-selling console launch of all time, I don’t think anyone fully predicted this level of success. That said, my expectations were certainly high for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the Switch 2 is the most iterative console Nintendo has launched in quite some time, dating back to the transition from NES to SNES. No Nintendo console has ever had a “2” in its name, and in this case, they made a strategic decision by building on the proven success and strong brand of the original Switch with a similar yet more compelling product. The value of the Switch 2 is immediately clear to gamers, improving upon past console launches such as the Wii U.

Another key factor contributing to the successful launch was effective supply chain management to ensure sufficient units were available. Earlier launches of competing consoles were limited by supply, capping sales and keeping products out of stock for months. Meanwhile, Nintendo clearly prepared well in advance, sourcing new partners and adjusting manufacturing locations to meet the high demand for the Switch 2.

Can you share your thoughts on the new console? What is the most interesting new feature, in your opinion, respectively on the hardware and software side?

Alex: As a day one owner myself, I’ve been absolutely thrilled with the Switch 2 and have been playing it daily! On the hardware side, the aspect I am most impressed with is something that’s difficult to gauge without hands-on experience — and that’s the build quality. The Switch 2 feels noticeably more premium than its predecessor. One of the most appreciated improvements is the Joy-Cons’ attachment mechanism, which feels much more secure and stable, enhancing the overall durability and user experience. Simply put, among all handheld consoles currently on the market, the Switch 2 offers the best feel in hand.

On the software side, the eShop improvements have been both a pleasant surprise and a delight. The store now loads very quickly and is snappy to navigate. The loading times or delays when cycling across pages are gone. Additionally, the weekly personalized recommendations based on your existing library are fantastic! With so many games released these days, discovery has become a growing challenge for consumers. A curated suggestion list is a great way to address this, especially since consumers are already familiar with similar recommendations on other media platforms such as Spotify and Netflix. Lastly, the ability for trailers and images to autoplay as you scroll through the shop is a notable improvement, effectively drawing attention to games you might have otherwise overlooked. All of these changes excite me both as a developer looking forward to bringing great games to the platform and as a consumer seeking a better shopping experience.

Eoin: I was happy to see that the new hardware supports DLSS and VRR in handheld mode. Mobile hardware inevitably faces performance constraints, and these features will go a long way towards alleviating those limitations for players. Developers should use them strategically— they can massively enhance the gaming experience, as we have seen with their implementation on other platforms.

The virtual game card is another wonderful addition to the platform. Many of us grew up swapping cartridges and disks—a practice that’s dying out as digital downloads become the norm. Virtual game cards make swapping games with friends easier than ever, bringing back that social and nostalgic experience. I am also intrigued by the novel and communal gaming experiences that can be built with the GameShare feature.

In terms of raw console performance, do you agree that the Switch 2 is closer to the Xbox Series S than it is to the PlayStation 4, making it easier for developers to port their current-gen games to the hardware?

Eoin: GPU-wise, the Switch 2 performs slightly below the Series S; this difference is more noticeable in handheld mode. However, the Series S does not support technologies like DLSS, which the Switch 2 does. This makes the GPU capabilities of the two consoles comparable overall.

CPU-wise, there is a clearer distinction between the two consoles. The Switch 2 is closer to the PlayStation (PS) 4 in this respect, having a CPU just a bit more powerful than the PS4’s. Since most games tend to be more GPU-bound than CPU-bound when well optimized, the impact of this difference largely depends on the specific game and its target frame rate. Any game shipping at 60 FPS on the Series S should easily port to the Switch 2. Likewise, a 30 FPS Series S game that’s GPU-bound should also port well. Games with complex physics, animations, or other CPU-intensive elements might incur additional challenges in reaching 30 or 60 FPS or require extra optimization during porting.

One of the most discussed hardware features ahead of launch is the support of NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution, currently the gold standard when it comes to upscaling technology. However, not many Switch 2 launch games are taking advantage of it. Why do you think that’s the case? Would you recommend that developers use it?

Eoin: I think there are two main factors influencing whether DLSS is used in launch titles. The first being, is it even necessary? For games like Mario Kart World or the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza, which feature stylized cartoon-like aesthetics, DLSS may not be needed. Mario Kart, for instance, was in development for many years with the original Switch in mind. Games like these aren’t trying to push graphical fidelity; they have different goals for their art content and tend to hit 60 FPS without relying on DLSS.

For third-party games, it’s worth noting that Cyberpunk 2077 has shipped with DLSS. Compared with the Xbox Series S and PS4 versions, DLSS evidently offers better upscaling technology, making a strong case for developers to implement it. More importantly, there are also other games that could benefit from DLSS, but don’t currently utilize it—that often comes down to how these titles are being ported. It is not as simple as taking the PC DirectX implementation of DLSS and running it on the Switch. Instead, DLSS has to be integrated through Nintendo’s NVN2 graphics API, and the extra work required for this might have been deferred by some developers for their initial ports.

Similarly, the Nintendo Switch 2 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, but barely any games are using it. Does it even make sense, or should hardware resources be focused elsewhere?

Eoin: Hardware ray tracing is a widely discussed feature in this generation of consoles. The Xbox Series X and PS5 support it for lighting, but maintaining stable frame rates can be challenging. Epic’s Lumen offers support for software ray tracing on the GPU as a lighter option for a lighting solution, although with Unreal Engine 5.6, focus is shifting toward further optimization of hardware ray tracing capabilities.

On the Series S, hardware ray tracing for lighting has not been widely pursued as an option. That is noteworthy as the Switch 2 has less ray tracing power than the Series S, and DLSS may not significantly close that gap. Beyond lighting, however, hardware ray tracing continues to be widely used across all platforms for reflections and shadows. This is where I see the most potential for the Switch 2, as it has sufficient power to deliver high-quality shadows and reflections at reasonable resolutions and frame rates.

In your Switch 2 brief, you mentioned that the console’s expanded controller features are what really set it apart. Can you discuss them and how developers should leverage them in their games?

Eoin: Nintendo’s innovation with its controllers continues to amaze us all. There is no other platform where the controller doubles as a motion-tracking device, a gyroscope, two smaller controllers, and now, in its latest iteration, a mouse—or more accurately, two of them. A common mistake some developers make is approaching this unique set of hardware like an ordinary game controller. If a game is ported to function like it does on any other controller, we will miss out on the fun that comes from leveraging the Switch 2’s unique features.

Every first-person shooter should make use of the mouse feature; motion tracking should be integrated wherever it enhances gameplay, and support for the two mini controllers should be standard in every multiplayer game. Beyond that, developers should be acutely aware of how the stick layout and controller ergonomics affect sensitivity and precision. Thorough testing and iteration to find the best user experience is a must.

Do you think GameChat will be a game-changer when it comes to social engagement in the Nintendo Switch 2 scene?

Alex: GameChat represents a significant step toward enhancing the social experience on the Switch 2. It provides a more controlled and secure environment locked to the Nintendo platform, which is especially valuable for younger players and their parents. Features like seeing what your friends are playing and being able to quickly join them are essential elements of the modern social gaming ecosystem, and Nintendo has made this intuitive and simple.
While it builds upon the trend established by third-party social platforms like Discord, GameChat integrates these social capabilities directly within the console experience. The addition of in-game video is fun and engaging, though it does require a camera setup, which might be a barrier for some gamers. Overall, while widespread adoption remains to be seen, it is undoubtedly a valuable feature that offers a seamless way for players to connect with friends.

Eoin: GameChat has multiple layers of appeal. Firstly, I think it’s an absolute win for people who enjoy co-op games, and games in that genre will be enormously enhanced. The social element is very interesting and will undoubtedly be a hit with both players who love to stream as they play and those who enjoy watching. At the moment, this feature is limited to users on the platform and those on your friends list. To become an even bigger game changer, it could integrate with existing game streaming platforms such as Twitch or YouTube. That step is one that only Nintendo can take, and if paired with some great games, it could really transform social engagement within the gaming community.

Thank you for your time.