Dragon's Dogma 2, alongside its Dark Arisen expansion, is slated for release on the Nintendo Switch 2 later this year. This arrival follows the RPG's launch in 2024, which was met with performance criticisms on existing platforms. The prospect of the game running on Nintendo's next-generation handheld is considered a significant technical achievement, especially given Capcom's history of successful Switch 2 ports like Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem, with Monster Hunter Wilds also confirmed for the device.
Producer Naoto Oyama highlighted the RE Engine's suitability for the Switch 2, attributing the successful ports to accumulated knowledge and ongoing engine improvements across Capcom's internal development teams. "The RE engine, which we're developing our games on now, is something that has actually been a really great fit for Nintendo Switch 2," Oyama stated. "As you mentioned, we've had some really well-received Nintendo Switch 2 versions of major titles - such as Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem this year - and, because this is an internal [Capcom-owned] engine, we've been able to accumulate knowledge and know-how from other teams."
Capcom is implementing a series of updates to enhance the foundational stability of Dragon's Dogma 2 prior to the Dark Arisen DLC's release. These optimizations are expected to positively impact all versions of the game. "We've been working not only to improve performance to let the game run on Switch 2, but to improve the current base game versions on other platforms, too," Oyama explained. "In particular, we've been trying to find as many small tweaks as we can make so we can build up and have a big performance improvement on consoles when it comes to Performance Mode itself."
The developer aims for a late August title update that will allow the console version's Performance Mode to achieve 60 frames per second. This effort extends to the Switch 2 version, which is currently running at a minimum of 30 frames per second, often exceeding that rate in many scenes. "That means that, commensurately, all that effort we've put into the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game also pays off in the Switch 2 version, and we're currently seeing a minimum 30 frames per second rate performance on that hardware (and, in many scenes, it's even higher!)" Oyama added. "So it's a little while to go until the game releases, but it's exceeding our expectations on Switch 2, and I hope the players agree that we've done a great job again with bringing this game to that platform."
This focus on performance improvements across platforms could help to mitigate the impact of Dragon's Dogma 2's initial launch issues. The publisher's collaborative development approach, leveraging expertise across teams, has demonstrably benefited recent titles. Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is scheduled for release on all platforms, including the Switch 2, on October 9th. In separate remarks from the interview, producers discussed the implementation of quality-of-life improvements and the ongoing legacy of the series.