The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 port of Star Wars Outlaws appears to be facing substantial performance challenges, according to recent reports from gaming media. During a recent showcase event, journalists were notably prohibited from recording gameplay footage—a restriction that has raised eyebrows throughout the gaming community and suggests potential optimization issues with this particular version of the game.

Ubisoft officially confirmed the Switch 2 version of Star Wars Outlaws in April 2025, approximately two months before Nintendo's newest console became available to consumers. The company subsequently committed to a September 4 release date, positioning the game as a flagship title for the new hardware. However, recent developments have cast doubt on whether the port will meet performance expectations at launch.

As the September release date approaches, concerning reports have emerged regarding the game's current state. Gaming outlet GVG revealed that media representatives were specifically barred from capturing gameplay footage during hands-on sessions at PAX West 2025, where the game was featured at the Nintendo booth. Notably, Star Wars Outlaws was the only upcoming title subjected to this recording restriction, suggesting unique performance challenges compared to other demonstrated games.

According to detailed observations from GVG, the Switch 2 version frequently dropped below 30 frames per second during demonstration sessions. Particularly concerning was that these performance issues occurred during linear sections set aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer—environments that typically place less demand on hardware compared to open-world areas. The presence of such significant frame rate problems in controlled environments raises serious questions about how the game will handle the expansive, open-world segments that define much of the Star Wars Outlaws experience.

While the demonstration concluded with a space combat sequence that reportedly performed adequately, observers noted that the visual presentation during this segment was not particularly impressive. The limited ray tracing implementation received some praise for its effect on Stormtrooper armor appearance, but overall lighting—particularly character lighting and hair rendering—was criticized as appearing flat and underwhelming.

These performance concerns contrast with the game's reception on other platforms. While the initial release of Star Wars Outlaws experienced some technical issues, particularly crash problems on Tatooine for PC players, the overall performance on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC was generally considered acceptable after several critical patches were deployed.

It remains possible that the demonstration build shown at PAX West represents an older version of the game rather than the final product that will launch on September 4. However, the emerging performance reports align with the limited gameplay footage available on the official Nintendo eShop page, which also appears somewhat rough and choppy in presentation.