The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 may not match the raw power of Microsoft's Xbox Series S, but industry experts suggest the performance gap might be narrow enough to facilitate smooth ports of well-optimized games. According to insights from Virtuos, a leading game development studio, while there are noticeable differences in hardware specifications, many current-generation titles could potentially make the transition to Nintendo's new platform.

Founded in Singapore in 2004, Virtuos Ltd. has grown into one of the gaming industry's most prolific development powerhouses, boasting over 4,200 employees as of 2025. The company specializes in adapting existing games for new platforms, with recent successes including the highly praised remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. Their portfolio also includes Black Shamrock, the Irish studio behind titles like Destroy All Humans and Marvel Midnight Suns, which Virtuos acquired in 2017.

In a recent interview with Wccftech, Eoin O'Grady, Technical Director at Black Shamrock, provided valuable insights into the Switch 2's capabilities. When comparing the console to the Xbox Series S, O'Grady noted that while the Switch 2's GPU performance falls slightly short of Microsoft's offering, the difference might not be as significant as some anticipate. The console compensates for this gap through support for advanced technologies like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), a feature absent from the Series S.

Given that most modern games are primarily limited by GPU rather than CPU performance, O'Grady suggests that a substantial portion of the Xbox Series S library could potentially be ported to the Switch 2. "Titles running at 60fps on Series S should transition smoothly to the new Nintendo platform," he explained. Even more demanding games that maintain 30fps on Microsoft's console - provided they aren't CPU-intensive - could find a home on the Switch 2 with proper optimization.

The discussion also touched on the Switch 2's support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. While implementation will naturally come with certain limitations, O'Grady identified shadows and reflections as areas where the technology could make a noticeable impact, potentially elevating visual fidelity at playable frame rates.