Porting Expert Talks How Switch 2 Performance Compares to Xbox Series S

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As a gaming enthusiast, I’m excited about the prospect of the Nintendo Switch 2. Despite not being as potent as the Xbox Series S in raw power, it seems to be quite close that the difference might not significantly impact the performance of well-optimized games, based on insights from a senior official at Virtuos. However, the ease with which Xbox Series S titles can be ported to the Switch 2 will depend on each individual case.

Based in Singapore since 2004, Virtuos Ltd. stands as a prominent game development company and one of the largest studios today, employing over 4,200 people as of 2025. Their main focus is adapting existing games for new platforms, with numerous projects under their belt, including the latest critically acclaimed remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. In addition to its parent company, Virtuos also oversees Irish studio Black Shamrock (known for creating games such as Destroy All Humans, Grounded, and Marvel Midnight Suns). This subsidiary was acquired by Virtuos through a significant stake in February 2017.

Eoin O’Grady, Technical Director at Black Shamrock, recently spoke with Wccftech about Nintendo’s new console, the Switch 2. When comparing it to the Xbox Series S, he mentioned that its GPU performance is somewhat lower than Microsoft’s console, but emphasized that it lags behind on the CPU side as well. However, the Switch 2 tries to compensate for this GPU performance gap by incorporating technologies like DLSS, which the Series S does not support.

Many Xbox Series S Games Should Port Well to the Nintendo Switch 2

Given the fact that most contemporary games are primarily dependent on the GPU instead of the CPU for performance, O’Grady posits that the Switch 2 could potentially run a substantial number of current and future titles from the Series S catalog. He further clarified that any game capable of running at 60fps on the Series S would likely transfer smoothly to the Switch 2. For games with more demanding graphics, if they can manage 30 frames per second on the Series S without being CPU-bound, it should be feasible to adapt them for Nintendo’s upcoming console as well.

A game running smoothly at 60 frames per second on the Xbox Series S ought to transition smoothly to the Switch 2 as well. Similarly, a game on the Series S that is GPU-bound and runs at 30fps should also adapt well to the new console.

Considering the graphics technologies that could be compatible with the Switch 2, O’Grady anticipates that hardware-accelerated ray tracing might gain some popularity on this console, despite potential limitations. He pinpoints key application areas for this technology as shadows and reflections, suggesting that the Switch 2 has enough power to enhance them significantly using ray tracing at “acceptable” frame rates and resolutions, according to the Black Shamrock representative.

Although the Switch 2 seems capable of running numerous contemporary games, it’s uncertain if we’ll see a boom of third-party games in the coming times. A significant factor hindering this is the limited distribution of Switch 2 development kits, which were given to a small number of companies before the console’s early June 2025 release. Consequently, most Switch 2 game ports are just starting to be developed now.

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2025-07-06 23:48