Star Wars Outlaws is coming to Change 2 in only a few days. It’s Ubisoft’s first huge Nintendo port of the brand new handheld hybrid cycle. So why isn’t the corporate speaking extra about its 2024 blockbuster coming to the best-selling console of 2025? Perhaps as a result of it’s the newest Change 2 port to reportedly run lower than nice.
Star Wars Outlaws, a stealth journey about gangsters and bounty hunters on the fringes of the Galactic Empire, is presently the tenth best-selling recreation on the Change 2 eShop because of digital pre-orders, however you gained’t discover it wherever on the present flooring at PAX West this weekend. Regardless of stations for followers to attempt huge ports like Elden Ring and Borderlands 4 on Nintendo’s new {hardware}, a demo of Star Wars Outlaws was solely playable behind closed doorways, based on YouTube channel GVG’s new hands-on video.
Even worse, the outlet was prohibited from sharing any direct seize footage of Star Wars Outlaws operating on Change 2. Over-the-shoulder recording wasn’t allowed both. The demo GVG examined included an early part inside a Star Destroyer and a ship struggle in house. The body price usually appeared to dip beneath 30fps and whereas the visible high quality different from good to unimpressive relying on the scene. And GVG didn’t even get to attempt any of the open world sections down on planets.
There have been some potential crimson flags round Star Wars Outlaws efficiency on Change 2 for some time now. At a Companion Nintendo Direct earlier this summer season, Ubisoft solely showcased the sport for 2 minutes, and most of that was builders (Ubisoft Pink Lynx is doing the port) speaking into the digicam relatively than direct feed of gameplay. What little snippets the writer did share didn’t look excellent both. Digital Foundry pointed to some spectacular lighting results on the time, however was left largely with considerations about simply how downgraded it will be from the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Collection X/S variations.
How will Murderer’s Creed Shadows run on Change 2?
Whereas not formally confirmed, studying between the traces of latest Ubisoft earnings calls leaves the sturdy impression that Star Wars Outlaws isn’t the one current-gen unique the corporate is planning to port to Change 2. Murderer’s Creed Shadow sounds destined to reach ultimately as nicely. Has Ubisoft been investing extra assets in optimizing that port, realizing it’s the larger franchise, at the price of quietly leaving Outlaws to flounder a second time (bear in mind, Shadows was initially delayed exactly due to Outlaws launch struggles final yr)?
Proper now, there are principally two buckets of third-party Change 2 ports. One contains Cyberpunk 2077 and Road Fighter 6, which hardly ever remind you that you just’re taking part in on weaker {hardware} than what the video games have been initially designed for. The opposite contains stuff like Hitman World of Assassination, which regardless of being serviceable usually looks like a noticeable downgrade (thought issues improved simply this week with a capped body price choice).
Elden Ring, which reportedly ran like goop whenever you hit the open world sections, and now Star Wars Outlaws look like in that second bucket as nicely. Bandai Namco tried to stop folks from filming footage of FromSoftware’s first Change 2 recreation at Gamescom 2025 as nicely, although that recreation a minimum of doesn’t have a launch date but. Except a day-one patch or collection of different upgrades can enhance Outlaws on Change 2, there’s now a query of whether or not a possible Shadows port will fall into the “meh” column of ports as nicely.
