Xenoblade fans are being kept busy this year, as every entry in the Xenoblade Chronicles series will have received a Nintendo Switch 2 update by the time 2026 is through. Sadly, some of these updates have left something to be desired: the Switch 2 version of Xenoblade Chronicles X was the victim of janky AI upscaling that turned some textures into Van Gogh paintings, and the updated Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition was beset by some nagging performance issues. Understandably, some fans have been a bit concerned about how the Switch 2 version of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 might turn out.
Does Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 edition strike confidently where past series upgrades have faltered? Or is this yet another chipped blade? Venture onward to find out.
Note: This is an opinion piece and, thus, not as detailed as a full, scored review would be.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was probably the entry in Nintendo’s RPG series most in need of some Switch 2 love. The original game came out early in the Switch’s lifespan, and Monolith Soft was clearly still getting up to speed with the platform. The result was a game that arguably overextended the hardware, resulting in very low native resolutions and over-the-top “solutions” that aimed to bring image quality up to snuff. These included overbearing, blurry TAA in docked mode and heavy-handed sharpening in handheld mode, which gave everything an ugly, jaggy look. Even with all that, the game still often sputtered around the 20fps mark.
Thankfully, almost all of this is now fixed, largely without the drawbacks previous Xenoblade Switch 2 updates have suffered from. The game is now much sharper, without any of the texture wonkiness found in the Xenoblade Chronicles X update. Nintendo is advertising 4K in docked mode and 1080p handheld, although some upscaling techniques are almost certainly at play here, as the game doesn’t look quite as sharp as some other native Switch 2 games. That said, it’s still a huge improvement over how the game used to look.
Downright transformational at times, as the higher resolution and lack of ham-fisted TAA mean a ton of details once lost behind a Vaseline filter are now visible, and it all runs at a mostly-very-solid 60fps. I did note a few hiccups during real-time cutscenes, but during traversal and combat, I rarely, if ever, noticed any distracting dropped frames.
In addition to the technical upgrades, Monolith Soft throws in a few new content tidbits. What will probably get long-term fans most excited is the addition of a new Blade Momo, who references a character from Monolith’s earlier Xenosaga series. Speaking of Blades, the new Merc Assault mode allows players to take full control of these characters, who essentially acted as mere humanoid weapons previously. Being able to take full control of your collection of Blades is fun, but given it’s confined to only a small number of Merc missions, it never feels like much more than a novelty.
Don’t expect much fresh content beyond Merc mode, Momo, and a couple of new costumes. While there are a few scattered quality-of-life improvements, like the streamlining of Field Skills, a lot more could have been done, which is a shame, as Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s UI and systems feel a bit clunky and dated here in 2026. Overall, it feels like Monolith could have added just a fewmore pages to this Chronicle, given its $10 price tag.
These impressions are based on a copy of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition provided by publisher Nintendo.
A Slick but Slight Update
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition finally sees Monolith Soft find its footing when it comes to producing proper current-gen updates. The game looks sharp enough in both docked and handheld modes and runs well, with the update sometimes feeling downright transformative, given how rough the OG Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was in terms of visual clarity. Don’t expect a ton of new content, or for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to become a fundamentally different experience in terms of core gameplay and design (it will likely remain the most divisive entry in the series), but for those looking to play the game in 2026, this version more than cuts the mustard.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is available now. Those who already own the Switch version of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 can upgrade for $10, or you can buy the original game and upgrade together for $70.
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