Developer CD Projekt RED has uploaded a generous batch of Switch 2 Cyberpunk 2077 footage week – 37 minutes of direct 4K capture to be exact – giving us an early glimpse at the state of its docked 30fps quality mode. Since it releases on 5th June as a Switch 2 launch title, we don’t really have too long to wait to see the real thing in action, though given that this footage comes with no “early build” disclaimer or suchlike it appears CDPR is confident in what it’s showing in this material – and for good reason. Poring over all the assets, we have plenty to work with for some preliminary comparisons and even frame-rate analysis. In short, the prospects for this Switch 2 rendition are encouraging overall.
In terms of content, CDPR is showing all manner of gameplay: driving, combat, major mission set pieces – you name it, it’s included. Some clips even reveal, quite openly, the challenges Switch 2 faces in running such a complex open world game – notably for high speed car action. To its credit, frame-rate delivery at 30 frames per second is strong based on this footage overall, with drops into the 20-30fps range mainly being a problem while speeding through Night City’s streets. Especially at points where multiple AI cars clog up its roads, it appears drops and traversal hitches are possible, something we’re keen to re-test on its release. It’s a positive showing overall, though: on-foot exploration around its markets, the bustling parade sequence teeming with NPCs, and even combat during the Phantom Liberty DLC all run at a perfect 30fps here.
In performance terms, this showing is perhaps best put in the context of what’s currently possible on last-gen consoles, and also Series S. In re-testing the base PS4 version today for example, it’s sobering to find that open world roaming there still plays out with hitching, geometry pop-in and drops to 20-30fps – certainly more than is evident in this Switch 2 footage. Going hands-on with the final build ourselves is a must for any final word on this, but early signs point to fewer glaring issues in traversal and battle.
- 0:00:00 Introduction
- 0:00:39 News 1: 37 minutes of Cyberpunk 2077 Switch 2 footage released!
- 0:18:51 News 2: AMD introduces 9060 XT
- 0:31:43 News 3: AMD teases “FSR Redstone”
- 0:44:15 News 4: Doom has hidden performance metrics on Xbox
- 0:53:38 News 5: Mario Kart World originally planned for Switch 1
- 1:02:49 News 6: Hellblade 2 coming to PS5
- 1:11:29 Supporter Q1: What do you make of the Nvidia/Gamers Nexus controversy?
- 1:19:41 Supporter Q2: If Microsoft is working on an Xbox emulator for Windows, does that signal the end for traditional Xbox consoles?
- 1:28:56 Supporter Q3: Should Nintendo release a non-portable, home-only Switch 2?
- 1:35:32 Supporter Q4: Could Switch 2 become a dumping ground for last-gen games?
- 1:40:29 Supporter Q5: What are your hopes and concerns for Switch 2?
On the other hand, Xbox Series S’ performance level – in its own 30fps quality mode – is a more aspirational target for Switch 2. We described this version as ‘what last-gen should have been’ in our original review, thanks to it boasting a broadly rock-solid 30fps experience, and it even went on to receive a 60fps mode post-release. A question mark hovers over the viability of Switch 2’s own 40fps performance mode though, where we have no recent assets. More to come on this when we get the game ourselves.
In terms of comparisons, image quality is a plus point for Switch 2 when compared to the older PS4 release, and even Series S. Much of this boils down to Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology being available to Switch 2’s Tegra 239 processor. CDPR has already confirmed the use of DLSS to hit a 1080p target in docked play in this case (and a 720p target in handheld mode). However, the actual native pixel counts are typically lower than 1080p – with dynamic scaling taking us to 1280×720 at its nadir during the most extreme 20fps drop on record here while driving. More typically though, numbers like 792p, 810p and 864p crop up at less taxing points in the footage, which is a high enough base pixel count for DLSS to (usually) work its magic and reconstruct a 1080p frame.
For perspective, Series S’ quality mode renders at a 1296p-1440p range using AMD’s FSR 2 as its upscaler (as of a late 2022 patch 1.61, following an upgrade from TAA). Meanwhile, base PS4 continues to run at a 720p-900p range using CDPR’s own in-house temporal AA solution. In both cases Switch 2 has an advantage in temporal stability, at least. Even though it runs at a lower pixel count than Series S, DLSS more adeptly cleans up the game’s visual noise in certain scenarios compared to FSR 2. Shimmer is minimised across the dampened floors of the market area, while during static moments, fences and character detail up-close resolve with added sharpness via Switch 2’s upscaler.
On the downside, for all its benefits, DLSS does not always hide its lower base pixel input. Driving at speed reveals blocking artefacts on Switch 2, while a later Johnny Silverhand dialogue sequence shows similar break-up around two background NPCs playing basketball. There are some limits on show, then, but it’s a respectably competitive result next to Series S all things considered. In fact, it’s similar to what we found with Street Fighter 6 comparisons between these two consoles, where Switch 2 pushes a sharper, less visibly noisy frame via DLSS – and despite Capcom’s fightert running at a lower native res in that case.
Focusing on visual quality, it’s a surprise to find Switch 2 is on par with both PS4 and Series S in a great many of its core settings. Paired side-by-side with each, there is scarce evidence of any differences in recreated shots: texture quality is a match, SSR is enabled across the floors, and motion blur is engaged too. There is a difference in ambient occlusion (resulting in thicker pockets of object shading on Switch 2) that needs further investigation – and it’s clear that Switch 2 also loses the lens flare effect of the Series S release. That aside, the variance in time of day and NPC placement account for a majority of the differences in the open city – whereas in confined interiors that are perfectly matched, the main difference is again DLSS’ impact on image quality.
It’s a positive peak at CDPR’s optimisation efforts so far and it appears to be an improvement on the build I played at Nintendo’s Switch 2 event in London last month. We’re just ten days away from what’s undeniably one of the most technically challenging third party games on Switch 2, and it’s certainly a big one for coverage plans at Digital Foundry. In fact as I type this, there’s an ongoing effort to bank as much Cyberpunk 2077 footage on other platforms for comparison. Roll on June 5th!