Star Wars Outlaws on Nintendo Switch 2: Ray Tracing, Performance, and Early Impressions

Star Wars Outlaws is shaping up to be one of the most high-profile third-party titles arriving in the Nintendo Switch 2 launch window, and recent footage has given us a much clearer picture of its strengths and weaknesses. A side-by-side comparison between the new Nintendo console and the PlayStation 5 version has stirred debate, particularly around the use of ray tracing and whether Nintendo’s upcoming hardware can deliver visuals that live up to modern expectations.

The analysis, shared by content creator SuperMetalDave64, highlights the fact that while Ubisoft Massive’s open-world game technically supports ray tracing on Switch 2, the results leave much to be desired.

The reflections and lighting effects are hindered by visible artifacts that stem from lower resolution rendering. The footage shows reflections, such as arches mirrored across wet stone floors, but the shimmering edges and pixel noise reveal just how much the image reconstruction pipeline is struggling without the support of advanced techniques like Ray Reconstruction. While Switch 2 is expected to support such methods, Nintendo hasn’t yet shown them in action, which is leaving players skeptical about what the final experience will look like.

Some eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out that not everything labeled as ray tracing in the footage actually is. In certain shots, what appears to be ray-traced reflection is instead screen space reflections (SSR) – a much cheaper technique that often leads to inaccuracies, especially when the reflected object moves off-screen. This detail underlines the reality that the Switch 2 version may rely heavily on software solutions rather than hardware-based ray acceleration. The absence of robust Ray Reconstruction means quality will vary, sometimes looking impressive, other times showing rough, artifact-heavy surfaces.

Even with these shortcomings, Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 does not look like a doomed port. Early impressions suggest that Ubisoft Massive has managed to keep the game playable at a reasonably stable framerate, with Switch 2 handling the demanding open-world better than many expected. In fact, when compared to another major launch window title, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, the contrast is striking. From Gamescom 2025 reports, Elden Ring’s build for Switch 2 ran into noticeable performance bottlenecks, often dropping frames and struggling to maintain fluidity. Those issues seem tied to CPU limitations and the complexity of porting FromSoftware’s notoriously heavy engine, while Outlaws – though imperfect in its visuals – runs far smoother.

What this suggests is that the Switch 2 may deliver a mixed bag when it comes to third-party support. Some games will scale down gracefully, maintaining stable gameplay, while others may trip over the technical compromises needed to run on a portable hybrid system. For players looking forward to exploring the galaxy as Kay Vess on Nintendo’s next-generation hardware, the good news is that Star Wars Outlaws looks set to offer an experience that, while visually compromised compared to PlayStation 5, still remains immersive and engaging. And if Nintendo eventually leans into advanced image reconstruction techniques, the visual gap could close further, making Switch 2 a surprisingly capable platform for modern blockbuster gaming.