Capcom Games on Nintendo Switch 2 Run Better Using a Weird Trick

Recent tests have discovered that select Capcom games run better on the Nintendo Switch 2 when players use GameChat a certain way. While an unusual method, it may be helpful for Nintendo Switch 2 users who want the best frame rate possible while playing Capcom games.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has done a surprisingly good job of handling modern day video games, like Capcom’s recent releases of Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem. Since the launch of the original Switch, mobile gaming technology has progressed significantly, with devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Xbox Ally X being able to handle many modern games on the go. However, for players who want the highest frame rate and smoothest experience possible, there’s a way to improve upon the Switch 2’s performance. At least, with some games from Capcom.

The unusual trick here is to use GameChat while playing Capcom games. Ordinarily, GameChat can cause games’ frame rates to drop a bit, as the console has to simultaneously display the game and the GameChat function. However, Digital Foundry has discovered that the opposite is true of some Capcom games. In testing, they found that an area of the Pragmata demo typically runs at about 53FPS, but if the GameChat feature is turned on in a small window, that frame rate jumps to an even 60FPS. While a small bump, it’s a significant one. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess also sees a similar improvement, and DF has theorized that all RE Engine games from Capcom likely get this boost.

The reason for this particular boost is due to the way that Pragmata, Kunitsu-Gami, and other Capcom games handle the GameChat feature. When the option is enabled, in testing, Pragmata reduced its resolution from a maximum of 540p down to 360p. Tests indicated that in areas where the frame rate dropped to 47, enabling GameChat’s smallest window brought it back up to 60FPS. Even when the GameChat window was set to its medium size, the game saw a slight boost, coming up to 58FPS. With the medium GameChat window bringing the game down to 432p instead of 360p like the smallest, that may be a good middle ground for some players.

While the reduced resolution may be less than ideal for some fans, this frame rate boost could nonetheless be beneficial. In any areas where the games struggle to maintain their frame rate, or where higher frame rates could be helpful, like during fast boss fights, turning on GameChat for a boost may be a good idea. Though Digital Foundry didn’t test them explicitly, games like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village may also see similar benefits, as they all run on the RE Engine.

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Curiously, enabling GameChat on these RE Engine games is triggering something similar to Performance Mode on consoles like the PS5. On the PS5 and Xbox Series X, players can choose to reduce visual fidelity in return for higher frame rates. Unfortunately, a simple Performance Mode toggle isn’t available for the vast majority of games on the Switch 2 system, with Cyberpunk 2077 being a notable exception. However, it’s possible that as the years go by and games become more graphically demanding, that could change in order to bring newer games to the Switch 2.