Ubisoft's "Star Wars Outlaws" will be the first big Ubisoft title on Nintendo's new Switch 2 when it launches on Sept 4.
Although anticipation is building for the ambitious open-world experience in the galaxy, early performance reports indicate that the game might not be as smooth on the new hardware as fans had been hoping.
'Star Wars Outlaws' Suffers Framerate Issues on Switch 2
At PAX West 2025, insiders representing GVG got the opportunity to play "Star Wars Outlaws" on the Switch 2. Going by their experience, the game was visibly struggling in terms of performance, with the frames falling below 30 FPS more than once. That is especially alarming considering that the game is launching in just a few days, leaving one wondering about the optimization and the title's performance on Nintendo's next-gen console.
GVG outlined how Nintendo revealed the bulk of the Gamescom 2025 lineup at the event, but "Star Wars Outlaws" was the sole title not featured in the public display. It was made available in a limited demo environment instead, where gameplay capture could not take place.
According to GameRant, journalists were not allowed to record even over-the-shoulder footage, with coverage constrained to first-hand impressions alone.
Early Gameplay 'Feels Rough' Despite Limited Demo
The demo that was shown at PAX West consisted of a highly controlled level that saw a Star Destroyer and a space battle. Interestingly, there were no open-world stages, which are supposed to be a central element in the final game. Even in those smaller-scale areas, the performance of the game seemed jumpy, with jarring frame drops that left the experience feeling unfinished.
GVG characterized the Switch 2 version as "kind of rough" and went on to comment that the performance as a whole was "pretty poor," particularly in light of the forthcoming launch.
With no video to play back for testing, it's difficult to say how common or extreme these frame rate problems will be, but the comments are already getting under the skin of fans who were expecting smoother performance on Nintendo's new hardware.
Will Ubisoft Patch Performance Issues Before Release?
With the window of launch rapidly approaching, the question is whether or not Ubisoft can issue a performance patch in time to stabilize play on the Nintendo Switch 2.
For a game of this magnitude, which depends so much on immersive combat and expansive exploration, smooth frame rates are absolutely essential to player experience.
"Star Wars Outlaws" won't have a lasting impression on Switch 2 users if the performance issues persist on its launch. It will be a disappointing series of events for fans who are looking forward to playing this on a handheld console. That said, Ubisoft and Nintendo need to work harder to make sure that framerate drops will be smoothly handled as its release date approaches.
Originally published on Player One
