Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2: Hidden Performance Mode Boosts Frame Rates Dramatically

Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2: Hidden Performance Mode Boosts Frame Rates Dramatically Hitman World of Assassination, the acclaimed stealth-action title from developer IO Interactive, continues to push boundaries with its performance on Nintendo Switch 2.

Widely recognized for its dense environments and meticulous level design, Hitman World of Assassination joined the Nintendo ecosystem aiming to deliver the complete Agent 47 experience to a portable audience.

Recently, an in-depth analysis from Digital Foundry has revealed a unique method for significantly enhancing the game's performance on Nintendo Switch 2—by leveraging a 'hidden' performance mode accessible through the console's system settings. Unpacking the Hidden Performance Mode According to Digital Foundry's technical investigation, the performance and rendering resolution of Hitman World of Assassination are directly influenced by the Nintendo Switch 2’s frontend display settings.

By altering the system's TV output resolution from the default 4K to 720p, players can access a substantial frame rate boost not immediately apparent in the game's own options menus.

This method can deliver up to a 62.5 percent increase in performance, a significant uplift especially valuable in a demanding title like Hitman. Performance Benchmarks Across Key Levels Digital Foundry’s meticulous breakdown included testing in both GPU-intensive and CPU-intensive scenarios within Hitman World of Assassination.

In visually demanding areas such as Whittleton Creek and Berlin, the difference was striking.

When outputting at 4K, Whittleton Creek averaged below 40 frames per second (FPS), jumping to approximately 40.45 FPS at 1080p and nearly 60 FPS at 720p.

For Berlin, the averages were 34.26 FPS at 4K, 36.7 FPS at 1080p, and 55.1 FPS at 720p.

When exploring CPU-heavy levels—where multiple non-playable characters (NPCs) inundate the screen like in the Paris fashion show—the performance gap narrows, with 720p delivering 42 FPS, 1080p providing 39 FPS, and 4K falling to 35 FPS. A Surprising Quirk Uncovered This concealed performance mode was not intentionally presented by IO Interactive in the game's in-menu settings, which is typical for games that offer distinct performance or resolution options.

Instead, the change is enacted by adjusting the Nintendo Switch 2's system-level output resolution—a workaround rather than an advertised feature.

As Digital Foundry highlighted, players should not normally have to resort to these settings to gain performance improvements; ordinarily, such options are woven into the game’s own configuration menus.

Nevertheless, tech-savvy Switch 2 owners currently have the opportunity to experience significantly smoother gameplay by modifying their system settings. What It Means for Switch 2 Gamers This discovery not only gives players more control over their gameplay experience but also underscores how developers and hardware can interact in unexpected ways.

With Hitman World of Assassination available through the Nintendo eShop for Switch 2, dedicated fans and newcomers alike can now maximize their enjoyment through simple system tweaks—possibly outpacing what the developers intended.

For those eager to explore IO Interactive’s engrossing world at higher frame rates, adjusting output resolution could prove to be an essential tip in your Switch 2 playbook.

Stay tuned to our ongoing coverage for more technical insights and reviews on the latest Nintendo Switch 2 releases.

Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Digital Foundry Hitman World of Assassination Switch Hitman IO Interactive Nintendo eShop