Support NeoGAF

[memoryman3]

FF7 Remake director says porting to 'lower-end' Switch 2 is a challenge

Naoki Hamaguchi gets real about playing Final Fantasy on a Nintendo machine

www.polygon.com

"Switch 2 is a very appealing platform and a great piece of hardware," Hamaguchi said. "That said, compared to other consoles, the specs are a little bit on the lower-end side. I have seen a lot of other publishers struggling to get their games to work very smoothly on the Nintendo Switch 2. But considering that this is a trilogy, and Remake being the first title within it, I really wanted to make sure that we are conveying that quality to Nintendo players for them to understand just how great Final Fantasy 7 Remake is."

On Rebirth

"At this point, we have gotten the game built," Hamaguchi said. "Our engineers are working hard to optimize and to provide the final polish on the build. I'm hoping that we'll be able to provide more information on Rebirth in the very near future. Compared to the first title, the world map is a lot larger, so there is no doubt that it's a more challenging production process. But our engineers are very passionate about the work that they're doing, so I'm confident that we'll be able to deliver."

The factoid about publishers struggling to get their games running on Switch 2 is something that is a first. So far the situation has been better than Switch 1, but ports have numerous downgrades even against the Xbox Series S versions.

 

[rm082e]

No one should be surprised by this. Expectations should remain in check.

 

[Loomy]

The factoid about publishers struggling to get their games running on Switch 2 is something that is a first. So far the situation has been better than Switch 1, but ports have numerous downgrades even against the Xbox Series S versions.

Wouldn't call it a first. The same thing happened with Switch 1. There's a reason you saw fewer ports as the generation went on and games got more demanding.

 

[RoboFu]

Umm Yeah..no lots of good " beyond expectations " ports have come out now. So sorry but that's just untrue.

 

[undeadhero]

I'm shocked a handheld can't match a full-fat console! I don't even think he's complaining here, to be fair, more just saying there's an additional challenge.

 

[//DEVIL//]

FF remake director needs to shut the f up because their games perform like shit on even a 5090 and no ray tracing either.

 

[kevboard]

Wouldn't call it a first. The same thing happened with Switch 1. There's a reason you saw fewer ports as the generation went on and games got more demanding.

the reason we saw fewer ports on Switch 1 was because the performance difference was far larger than now. even the Xbox One's GPU was more than 3x as powerful as the Switch's GPU, and it had around 2x more RAM available for games. so the gap between the lowest spec home console and the Switch was pretty steep.

this gap is narrower now,
with the lowest end home console (Series S) only having around 2x more GPU power, and actually has less RAM than the Switch 2, and a less advanced GPU feature set than it.

the only really limiting factor for the Switch 2 is the CPU in fact, while the Switch 1 was handicapped in every single aspect of its hardware.
the Switch 2's GPU only becomes an issue in games that are so badly made that they barely reach an acceptable resolution on Series S... which does happen of course... see many Unreal Engine 5 games...
generally UE5 is an issue due to how bad it runs compared to every other engine used today, since Devs rely more and more on the ridiculously bad Lumen GI as a shortcut to get their lighting.

which is why I wrote in another thread that the supposedly leaked port of Expedition 33 will either replace Lumen... or, more likely, will look and run like absolute shit if they keep it.

 

[Coconutt]

Nintendo cheaped out on the Switch 2 this is the price you pay for wanting to be on their ecosystem.

 

[Brucey]

Wouldn't call it a first. The same thing happened with Switch 1. There's a reason you saw fewer ports as the generation went on and games got more demanding.

At $450 expectations from prospective owners prob higher than $300 switch 1 and $200 switch lite 2 years later.

 

[Brucey]

Nintendo cheaped out on the Switch 2 this is the price you pay for wanting to be on their ecosystem.

 

[FoxMcChief]

 

[crazyriddler]

Nintendo cheaped out on the Switch 2 this is the price you pay for wanting to be on their ecosystem.

Which handheld chip would have changed the difference in power between handhelds and home consoles?

 

[Coconutt]

Which handheld chip would have changed the difference in power between handhelds and home consoles?

Don't know just know it can barely run base ps5 games. Also they cheaped out by not adding hall effect sticks or starting off with an Oled screen while drastically increasing the price from the first switch.

 

[subzero83]

Which handheld chip would have changed the difference in power between handhelds and home consoles?

5 nm node with bigger battery would have made this much closer to series s.

 

[RoboFu]

Just to explain how dumb this is. remake came out on the ps4 with less ram and a worse gpu and the switch 2 version runs better and looks better. But it was " hard "

 

[Loomy]

the reason we saw fewer ports on Switch 1 was because the performance difference was far larger than now.

And in 2 years when we start the next generation it's going to be an even bigger chasm.

If developers are struggling now, they're not even going to try by 2029.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Just to explain how dumb this is. remake came out on the ps4 with less ram and a worse gpu and the switch 2 version runs better and looks better. But it was " hard "

It's a polygon article.

I'd be embarrassed to use them as a source. Same with PC Gamer.

 

[yogaflame]

"Lower end" might be an offensive word to some but I think as a handheld, switch 2 is decent hardware with some tech techniques like ex. dlss and of course wth great Nintendo exclusives and franchise IP, makes it a good purchase.

 

[kevboard]

And in 2 years when we start the next generation it's going to be an even bigger chasm.

If developers are struggling now, they're not even going to try by 2029.

not really. there will not be a true next gen. the PS6 and Series 2 will essentially be the pro versions of current gen consoles.
it will be an endless cross gen cycle, and the handheld PS6 is already basically confirmed to be only slightly more powerful than the Series S.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

Damn there are some butt hurt people in this thread...lol. If it's a challenge to them then it's a challenge. He doesn't say it's something that cannot be overcome.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Just to explain how dumb this is. remake came out on the ps4 with less ram and a worse gpu and the switch 2 version runs better and looks better. But it was " hard "

I think he is talking about Rebirth.

Which makes sense cause even base ps5 struggled with it.

 

[ADiTAR]

I really don't understand people claiming the gap is getting wider... In the past 5-6 years the PS5/SX came out I have yet to see a game that really pushes anything beyond what PS4 could do. Just tacking on Ray Tracing as if it's a game changer.

Most of the stuff look pretty much the same to me. Maybe devs are unable to optimize since they are using 3rd party engines.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Some devs just need to git gud and learn how to use the power before them that old-school creators dreamed about.

 

[Baki]

Which handheld chip would have changed the difference in power between handhelds and home consoles?

Maybe they shouldn't have used ARM cpus that are over 6 year old now.

 

[Karim]

Umm Yeah..no lots of good " beyond expectations " ports have come out now. So sorry but that's just untrue.

You sound more legitim, why we should trust more to some developers when we have trustworthy people like you here with such convincing tech arguments.

 

[Bernardougf]

There's a lot of things to defend about Nintendo... hardware its definitely not one of them imho. And it will only get worse as next gen arrives.

 

[Zathalus]

There's a lot of things to defend about Nintendo... hardware its definitely not one of them imho. And it will only get worse as next gen arrives.

Considering next-gen has a handheld, and how long this past cross-gen lasted, I think Nintendo is probably more than safe for the next 6 years or so. Not everything can be ported, but more than enough can for the Nintendo library to be fine. More than fine if you like Nintendo exclusives.

 

[Bernardougf]

. More than fine if you like Nintendo exclusives.

thats the reason to buy nintendo hardware ... anything else is pointless for me.

 

[Jesb]

No shit a PS5 game will be a challenge. But A lot of it will be how good your engine is that's powering the game. Some will do well, some won't. I'm willing to bet Capcom will do just fine among others.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

And in 2 years when we start the next generation it's going to be an even bigger chasm.

If developers are struggling now, they're not even going to try by 2029.

Which scenario seems more likley:

1. Devs make games that can only be played on the newest, most expensive hardware that few people own, or

2. Devs make mid-spec games that can be cut down to run on systems that millions more people own and can afford?

Expect games to run on more systems than ever in 2029. Cross-gen is forever now.

 

[Radical_3d]

 

[Gonzito]

Nintendo as usual getting away with shit like this

 

[Disco Dave]

I'll wait for NintenDeen's analysis before making my mind up.

 

[Karim]

No shit a PS5 game will be a challenge. But A lot of it will be how good your engine is that's powering the game. Some will do well, some won't. I'm willing to bet Capcom will do just fine among others.

Indeed I'm a bit cared about Capcom because they targeting all 60 fps in Resident Evil and I'm not sure how they can achieve it on switch 2 seeing is a rarity outside the Nintendo exclusive. I'm expected uncapped fps very variable.

 

[IDKFA]

Umm Yeah..no lots of good " beyond expectations " ports have come out now. So sorry but that's just untrue.

Is it?

Elden Ring is delayed on the Switch 2 because of performance issues.

What happened to the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4? Delayed with no word on release.

Clearly some developers are having issues with the specs.

 

[Life Diff]

You thought rebirth was blurry on PS5 base? Just switch 2 owners wait

 

[apple_of_enlightenment]

Loser. He's just dragging his feet having to target Nintendo instead of Sony due to the latter bombing in Japan. Their bread and butter is graphics so this is not surprising.

We don't need words, there are already ports available on this "handheld" in the first few months that equal and in some areas surpass PS5.

 

[SirTerry-T]

Too much reliance on middleware these days. Coders back in the day who coded straight to the metal, used to be able to make lesser hardware sing!
I'm sure modern coders are up to the task (it's what they love to do) but their skills are being hamstrung by the way modern game development working.

 

[DenchDeckard]

This is Nintendo every generation


You would do better to cut back all gaming tech. Make the switch 2 your lead platform and then port up. Especially in the new world we are living.

 

[Baemono]

Is it?

Elden Ring is delayed on the Switch 2 because of performance issues.

What happened to the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4? Delayed with no word on release.

Clearly some decleopers are having issues with the specs.

I mean both games should've been delayed on their original platfoms as well. I recall the best way to play Elden Ring was to run the PS4 version on PS5.
And Borderlands is your classic UE5 experience.

I'm waiting to see how an optimized game such as Indiana Jones will run on the console

 

[KungFucius]

I wonder what the motivation is behind the whining. I mean no shit the game has to be made to run on this hardware and that will take work because Switch 2 is lower speced than PS5. But does crying about it influence any licensing agreement Square gets from Nintendo? Or does saying it's hard to do so coax reviewers into forgiving these ports for their shortcomings? Or is he just complaining that resources had to be diverted from part 3 optimization to get the port working to a level that they found acceptable?

 

[J Required]

He definitely triggered a few people here, lol.

 

[Fortress of Regrets]

Rebirth will be 240p upscaled and 20 fps on Switch 2. It is significantly more demanding than Remake.

 

[drian_vanden]

Only pure gut feeling on my behalf;

The gaming industry's cycle to deliver games in a specific time frame, combined with less inhouse engines and less inhouse tech and far more generic tools like UE5, and then also combined with cosmetic GPU features, upscalers and what not, don't do any good to the basic process in development.

It's the running from deadlines to deadlines. And even that "Age of Remakes", while certainly popular and deserved in some cases, is at least to me a very shallow base currently. We're playing and paying good old memories that could had let be good old memories.

A lot of the things currently going on just feel like the industry has peaked a couple of years ago. And it's now in a loop.

I don't really care if they don't get it to run on SW2. They could use that hardware differently then. Come up with a new design of a game.

But well, I am gonna be eating a potato now.

 

[GoldenEye98]

I mean it'll be able to do PS4 level. PS4 level games look nice albeit typically at 30fps. Actually the game that has sunk home what the Switch 2 could do is actually Grid Legends lol. For some reason seeing a visually modern racer run on it hit me more than Star Wars Outlaws or Assassins Creed.

The main issue is gonna be the memory bandwidth.

 

[Solarstrike]

I think it's up to (in part) the talents of the developers in what they can do. As example the texture work in Metroid Beyond, which is fking incredible at times.

Nintendo needs to conduct a survey or something and see just how many people use the portability function of the Switch 2. That said, they do need to make a more powerful system on the next go around

 

[asdasdasdbb]

That said, they do need to make a more powerful system on the next go around

They won't. It's a portable that can dock. I don't think that will change.

Even the PS6 Portable isn't going to be anywhere near a PS5 unless they bump the specs quite a bit.

 

[Gambit2483]

You thought rebirth was blurry on PS5 base? Just switch 2 owners wait

Switch 2 has DLSS. It'll be fine

 

[subzero83]

I mean it'll be able to do PS4 level. PS4 level games look nice albeit typically at 30fps. Actually the game that has sunk home what the Switch 2 could do is actually Grid Legends lol. For some reason seeing a visually modern racer run on it hit me more than Star Wars Outlaws or Assassins Creed.

The main issue is gonna be the memory bandwidth.

Naw the steamdeck version of grid in HH mode is much better. star wars is where it really shines, not cause it looks great but its actually in a good playable state on switch 2 against the SD.

 

[CentralScrutinizer]

FF remake director needs to shut the f up because their games perform like shit on even a 5090 and no ray tracing either.

Rebirth is a fucking train wreck on my 4070 Super. It was in a good spot but it's new "optimization" patch that added frame gen completely broke the game for me.