Final Fantasy VII Remake Switch 2 Port Raises Expectations

There have been rumblings in the gaming community that Square Enix has supposedly confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake runs at 40 FPS on the Nintendo Switch 2. In the past, console games have stuck to either 30 or 60 frames per second, so this middle number is rare.

The news came from Square Enix employees at Gamescom, where the demo was shown off on the Switch 2 in performance mode, starting a conversation about what the system can do. There are no obvious drops in frame rate or performance hiccups in the early demo footage of the game.

The PlayStation 5 version of Final Fantasy VII  Remake has different performance modes, and it looks like the Switch 2 is trying to do the same. Initial confusion was cleared up by a direct quote from Square Enix staff: early reports said the game was locked at 30 FPS, but the booth confirmed it was actually running at 40 FPS.

At first glance, 40 FPS might seem like a letdown compared to more powerful consoles, but reviews from Gamescom say the gameplay is smooth and the graphics are great. Final Fantasy 7 Remake's settings are mostly enclosed, which makes it easier on the hardware than huge open-world games like Elden Ring. 

The CPU has to work hard to meet the technical requirements, especially when character models, particle effects, and high-fidelity graphics need to be loaded. Still, first views show that the Switch 2 is doing a good job. Even though these early signs are positive, you should still be careful. In the past, information from booths at game conventions has not always been accurate.

As happened with Cyberpunk 2077 in its pre-launch shows, staff may give out wrong information or talk about builds that aren't quite finished. The 40 FPS number is good news, but it might not be the final speed mode on the Switch 2 that you buy. Gamers shouldn't take the number as a sure thing, but rather as a rough guess.

Square Enix's news comes at a time when people are talking more generally about what the Nintendo Switch 2 can do. According to reports, the console's GPU is about the same as a PS4 Pro or Xbox Series S, and its CPU can handle current games well. 

Virtuo and other developers who are familiar with these specs have said that games that run on Series S hardware could be moved to Switch 2 without having to make major changes. On the other hand, handheld mode adds new problems, slowing down speed and needing more tweaking.

The most important thing to remember is to be patient. Switch 2 is a new platform, and coders are still getting used to the tools and devkits that come with it. It may take some time to fully improve early ports, and final builds may be different from the first demos. 

Because of this, fans shouldn't make any assumptions about the system's performance until official launch games come out. As a theory, the Switch 2 has enough raw power to run current third-party games. Final Fantasy 7 Remake looks like a great example of this.

The 40 FPS number isn't revolutionary, but it does mean a good, playable experience that both longtime fans and people who have never played the game before should enjoy. The game's small settings, high visual quality, and smooth performance make it look like Square Enix can make a polished, fun experience for Nintendo's newest hardware.

In short, early demos are positive, but only time will tell if Switch 2 can regularly deliver hits from other developers at a satisfactory level of performance. Fans can be cautiously hopeful for now, but they should remember that proper optimization takes time, experience, and patience.