Cyberpunk 2077 Impresses at Switch 2 Preview: Performance Highlights from Digital Foundry

Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2: Digital Foundry Reports on Performance and Visuals Cyberpunk 2077, developed by CD Projekt Red, is set to make its mark as a launch title for Nintendo's new Switch 2 hardware.

Originally released in 2020 to widespread criticism over technical issues across several platforms, the open-world RPG has since seen significant updates, culminating in a far more stable and polished experience.

With the highly anticipated Switch 2 bringing a leap in hardware power, questions have inevitably arisen about how well Cyberpunk 2077 will run on this new Nintendo console—especially given the game's demanding nature and the struggles even powerful systems experience with certain areas. To address these concerns, prominent technology analysts Digital Foundry were invited to test an early build of Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Nintendo Switch 2 at the recent "Switch 2 Experience" event in London.

It’s important to note that the version presented was several weeks old, and Richard Leadbetter from Digital Foundry emphasized that performance could be further improved by the time of the final launch. In his technical evaluation, Leadbetter highlighted that the build ran smoothly in several scenarios, even when tackling the challenging environments of Dogtown from the game's Phantom Liberty expansion—an area known for its intense graphical demands.

Digital Foundry’s Oliver McKenzie described the visual quality in docked mode as roughly on par with last-generation consoles, though he noted that Phantom Liberty itself was not available on those platforms.

He emphasized that the Nintendo Switch 2 version's visual fidelity vastly surpasses what the original Switch could offer. Performance, according to Digital Foundry, was somewhat mixed in the more taxing sections.

The team observed occasional dips during high-speed travel or large-scale firefights, which Leadbetter attributed to limitations from both the CPU and GPU.

Nevertheless, certain bustling market scenes ran better than anticipated, indicating solid optimization for less intensive gameplay moments.

The reviewers pointed out that even more powerful consoles can encounter similar slowdowns in these demanding segments. In handheld mode, Digital Foundry found that Cyberpunk 2077 performed well in quieter indoor sections, maintaining stable performance during less demanding sequences.

Outdoor environments, which typically require more processing resources, saw some variance in frame rates.

One particularly praised feature was the implementation of HDR10: the vibrant neon lighting and distinctive visual style of Night City looked impressive on the Switch 2’s upgraded LCD display. Leadbetter summed up Digital Foundry’s impressions by saying that being able to play Cyberpunk 2077 at this level on a Nintendo platform is “quite remarkable,” especially considering this is still an early version.

With the Switch 2 scheduled to launch on June 5th, there is optimism that CD Projekt Red will deliver further optimizations before release, but the current state already offers ample reason for excitement among Nintendo fans. As Cyberpunk 2077 prepares to join the launch lineup for Nintendo Switch 2, both Digital Foundry’s technical breakdown and CD Projekt Red’s track record for post-launch improvements suggest that players can look forward to a satisfying portable RPG experience.

For updates on platform developments and future first impressions, stay tuned to Nintendo Direct announcements and the Nintendo eShop.

Nintendo Switch 2 CD Projekt Red Cyberpunk 2077 Switch 2 Digital Foundry Nintendo Switch Red Nintendo Switch