Influencer Editorial Team
One of the world’s most experienced game porting studios, Virtuos, believes that Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 will be capable of running games originally developed for the Xbox Series S with relative ease.
Virtuos — established in 2004 and known for its work on blockbuster franchises like Call of Duty, Dark Souls, Battlefield, Uncharted, and Horizon — is currently supporting Konami’s remake of Metal Gear Solid 3. The company specializes in helping major developers bring AAA titles to additional platforms, and its insights into hardware capabilities carry significant weight.
In a recent interview with Wccftech, Eoin O’Grady, technical director at Virtuos subsidiary Black Shamrock (Grounded, Kerbal Space Program 2, The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition), shared his thoughts on the Switch 2’s potential. He said that thanks to its use of DLSS upscaling, the Switch 2’s GPU performance is comparable to that of the Xbox Series S — particularly in docked mode.
“GPU-wise, the Switch 2 performs slightly below the Series S; this difference is more noticeable in handheld mode,” O’Grady explained. “However, the Series S lacks DLSS, which helps close the gap. So overall, their GPU capabilities are comparable.”
When it comes to the CPU, however, Switch 2 is more in line with the PS4. O’Grady noted: “It has a CPU just a bit more powerful than the PS4’s. Since most well-optimized games are GPU-bound rather than CPU-bound, this won’t impact performance much unless the game relies heavily on physics, animation, or other CPU-intensive tasks.”
Because of this architecture, O’Grady believes the Switch 2 will be able to handle many current-gen games. “Any game shipping at 60 FPS on the Series S should easily port to the Switch 2,” he said. “Even games running at 30 FPS that are GPU-bound should make the transition smoothly. More CPU-heavy titles may need additional optimization.”
He’s also bullish on the console’s future, predicting it could surpass the original Switch — which sold over 150 million units — to become one of the best-selling consoles in history.
“Demand for handheld gaming is stronger than ever,” he said. “The original Switch, along with devices like the Steam Deck, has changed how people engage with AAA games. Players now expect high-quality gaming on the go. Given Nintendo’s strong fanbase and the growing handheld market, I wouldn’t be surprised if Switch 2 breaks records.”
