I used to not be a framerate sicko, but the past generations’ focus on remasters and making old games run smoother has rewired my brain. Overwatch, a game I have put over a thousand hours into, is something that’s meant to run at 60 frames per second, and I’ve played it so much on my PlayStation systems that the smoother framerate is embedded in my muscle memory. I can line up a shot as Soldier: 76 as easily as breathing…usually. But when I booted up the Switch 2 version, I had a visceral reaction to its locked 30fps framerate as my aim became less precise and my sprinting became choppy.
Overwatch finally got a Switch 2 update with the launch of season 2 yesterday, but something is amiss. The Switch 2 version is supposed to run at 60fps like the game does on most other platforms, which would represent a huge upgrade from the original Switch edition that ran at 30fps and barely felt like it was holding together. I was actually excited for the hero shooter to get a bump on the handheld console so I could maybe grind my battle pass on the go and not take my big-ass PS5 with me on trips. But unless Blizzard accidentally uploaded the wrong executable to the eShop, the Switch 2 version doesn’t seem like an upgrade at all. It’s locked at 30fps, whether the Switch 2 is docked or not.
At a glance, it might not look that bad, but the real problem is in how it feels. Part of why competitive games aim for higher framerate is because it allows for a more fluid play experience and players don’t have to compensate for choppier movement, whether that be in how your character moves while running, or even just in lining up your reticle to get a precise shot. When I played Overwatch on my Switch 2, I felt like I was moving through molasses, grinding against years of playing the game at a higher framerate. I couldn’t line up my shots like I’m used to, and every motion and ability felt just off enough in their execution that it felt like I was executing them under water. Simply put, it felt awful to play.
Blizzard says it’s aware of this framerate issue and is working on a patch to fix it. Hopefully it comes soon because I would love a portable version of Overwatch that’s comparable to the game I’ve played on my couch for years.
