Tears of the Kingdom Performance on Switch 2

A Nintendo executive stated in an interview that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will have fewer frame rate drops and problems on the Switch 2 than on the original Switch. However, some player-created Autobuild constructs loaded with various weapons may still push Tears of the Kingdom and the Switch 2 to their limits.

During the April 2 Nintendo Direct, both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were confirmed to have Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades. These upgrades will increase the frame rate cap and the resolution in Docked Mode to 4K and 60 FPS. Though it remains to be seen how such performance will be achieved, the Switch 2’s custom Nvidia Tegra processor will include support for DLSS upscaling. The Switch 2 upgrade packs for both Zelda games are priced at $9.99 each, but Nintendo Switch Online subscribers with the Expansion Pack can claim both Switch 2 upgrades for no additional cost.

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While both Zelda Switch games will feature faster loading times on the Switch 2 compared to its predecessor, the performance uplift is noticeable from the start. In an interview with NintendoLife, Nate Bihldorff, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing, said he saw no frame rate drops playing both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrade packs. Bihldorff cited the Korok Forest of Breath of the Wild as a location that struggled to maintain a suitable frame rate on the original Switch.

Zelda’s Nintendo Switch 2 Editions Will Mostly Be Free of Frame Rate Issues

• Nintendo executive Nate Bihldorff said Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will not have as many frame rate problems on Switch 2.
• The Switch versions of both Zelda titles experienced FPS drops in foliage-intense areas like the Korok Forest.
• The Switch 2’s enhanced graphical capabilities will smooth things out in both games, though player-made Autobuild creations could push things.
• The Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will launch on June 5 alongside the Switch 2 console.

The Korok Forest’s frame rate drops were more apparent during the daytime due to the shaders used, though the nighttime offers slightly better performance. After booting up the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Breath of the Wild, Bihldorff stated that he quickly headed to the Korok Forest, which is located north of Hyrule Castle, to see the improvements. Bihldorff said it was “absolute wizardry” that the original Switch could run it at all.

Bihldorff said that the foliage was fully rendered without any noticeable dips in performance. However, Bihldorff clarified that Switch 2 may still struggle with Tears of the Kingdom‘s Autobuild system, depending on how many weapons and particle effects go off simultaneously. Although Bihldorff could not test the Switch 2’s limits, he said that players could still find ways to go beyond them.

The Switch 2 versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will be available on June 5 alongside the full launch of the Switch 2. Given what players can create in Tears of the Kingdom, only time will tell what pushes the Switch 2 to its graphical limit.

Systems

Released

May 12, 2023

ESRB

Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo