One Ubisoft developer has explained why Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 will rely on Game Key Cards instead of standard cartridges, citing technical limitations of the console’s physical media.
Responding to Digital Foundry’s John Linneman[1] on BlueSky, audio architect for the Snowdrop Engine at Ubisoft Rob Bantin explained that the game “relies heavily on disk-streaming for its open-world environments” and that Switch 2 cartridges simply did not give the performance needed for the game to hit its quality target. “I think if we’d designed a game for Switch 2 from the ground up it might have been different. As it was, we’d build a game around the SSDs of the initial target platforms, and then the Switch 2 came along a while later. In this case I think our leadership made the right call,” Bantin wrote[2].
Game Key Cards have already stirred controversy among Nintendo fans, as they serve as a download-key holder rather than containing the full game on the cart. While they can be resold and aren’t console-locked[7], critics have argued that they pose potential issues for long-term games preservation.
Star Wars Outlaws looks like a respectable third-party game on the Switch 2, as gameplay footage of it so far has shown off a consistent 30fps performance. While it’s naturally not as good-looking as the PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X|S versions, the fact that Ubisoft has managed to get the game running generally well on the Switch 2 bodes well for the system and potential upcoming releases from the company. In comparison, Elden Ring’s Switch 2 performance isn’t great at all[8], according to reports.
Star Wars Outlaws launched for Switch 2 on September 4, a year after it was first released for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. This version of the game includes both of its DLC expansions–Wild Card and A Pirate’s Fortune–but the game might be a one-off considering that it wasn’t a commercial hit for Ubisoft. Company CEO Yves Guillemot recently blamed the Star Wars brand[9] being in “choppy waters” as one of the reasons why the game didn’t reach Ubisoft’s sales expectations, although its worth noting that reviewers and fans criticized the game[10] for its badly paced intro mission and various technical issues when it first launched.
Most of these issues have been addressed since then, and the post-launch expansions have been well-received.
References
- ^ Digital Foundry’s John Linneman (bsky.app)
- ^ Bantin wrote (bsky.app)
- ^ Sign up (www.gamespot.com)
- ^ Sign in (www.gamespot.com)
- ^ Terms of Use (www.fandom.com)
- ^ Privacy Policy (www.fandom.com)
- ^ While they can be resold and aren’t console-locked (www.gamespot.com)
- ^ Elden Ring’s Switch 2 performance isn’t great at all (www.gamespot.com)
- ^ Company CEO Yves Guillemot recently blamed the Star Wars brand (www.gamespot.com)
- ^ reviewers and fans criticized the game (www.gamespot.com)