Games

Assassin’s Creed Shadows – How Ubisoft Hit 30fps With VRR, DLSS And Big Visual Ambitions

30 November 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
9 min.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows – How Ubisoft Hit 30fps With VRR, DLSS And Big Visual Ambitions

Summary:

Assassin’s Creed Shadows arriving on Nintendo Switch 2 is not just another port, it is a stress test for what the new system can handle when a huge open world is involved. Ubisoft has rebuilt parts of the technology behind the scenes so that Naoe and Yasuke’s journey across feudal Japan still feels expansive, atmospheric and responsive while aiming for a fixed target of 30 frames per second in both handheld and docked play. Instead of simply lowering settings until the game fits, the team leans on features like variable refresh rate on the handheld screen, NVIDIA DLSS upscaling and a carefully tuned baked global illumination solution to keep lighting believable without crushing memory and performance.

At the same time, Switch 2 players are not treated as an afterthought. Almost every title update released so far is present on day one, cross progression works through Ubisoft Connect and touchscreen support helps with menus, maps and the hideout. The only big piece that arrives later is the Claws of Awaji expansion, which is already lined up for a 2026 release window, with Ubisoft confirming that Switch 2 will stay aligned with other platforms for future patches. Bruno, the project lead programmer, describes bringing Shadows to Switch 2 as one of the toughest yet most rewarding tasks of his career, a challenge that required rethinking how systems talk to each other while keeping the soul of the original experience intact.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 overview

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was born on high end machines with plenty of CPU, GPU power and fast storage, so the idea of running the same adventure on a portable hybrid can sound almost unreal at first. On Switch 2, the game arrives on December 2 with the full feudal Japan campaign, letting players swap between Naoe and Yasuke while sneaking, fighting and exploring across dense towns, rural regions and fortified castles. Instead of a cut down spin off, Switch 2 users tap into the real thing, supported by a careful set of technical compromises that keep the world alive without turning performance into a stuttery mess. That balance is why many players already talk about this version as a showcase of what a smartly handled third party release can look like on Nintendo’s new hardware, especially for those who love playing in handheld form as much as on a television.

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Visual goals and the 30fps performance target

From the start, Ubisoft set itself a very clear goal for Switch 2: keep the world of Shadows visually striking and immersive while locking the action at 30 frames per second in both handheld and docked modes. The team did not want Switch 2 players to feel like they were stepping into a smaller, flatter version of Japan compared to other platforms. That meant preserving strong shadows, dense foliage, impressive weather and the sense of scale that made Shadows stand out elsewhere. The trade off is that 60 frames per second is off the table, but instead of chasing a number the team focused on making 30 feel smooth, predictable and consistent. When the frame rate behaves in a stable way, controls feel more trustworthy, animations read better and the whole experience is easier on the eyes, especially during long play sessions.

VRR and why it matters at 30fps

Variable refresh rate might sound like a technical buzzword, but on Switch 2 it becomes one of the secret weapons that helps Assassin’s Creed Shadows feel more responsive even at a modest frame rate. Traditionally, VRR kicks in above a certain threshold, usually around 40 frames per second, so plenty of games running at 30 cannot lean on it. Here, Bruno and the programming team built a custom approach that keeps VRR active even when the game is locked at 30, allowing the handheld screen to adapt more closely to the timing of each frame. The result is that small hitches are smoothed out, camera pans feel less juddery and players are less likely to notice dips during heavier combat or dense crowds. For a handheld experience where you might be playing on a train, couch or bed, that extra layer of fluidity helps the world feel less like a slideshow and more like a living diorama that responds to every flick of the stick.

DLSS upscaling and image quality in handheld and docked modes

DLSS is the other major pillar carrying the visual experience, quietly working behind the scenes whenever you move through Japan. Instead of rendering every frame at a high resolution that would crush the GPU, Switch 2 can render at a lower internal resolution and then ask DLSS to reconstruct a sharper image using trained AI models. In practice, that means fine details like roof tiles, armor patterns and distant trees avoid turning into a blurry mess, even when you are riding through countryside at speed. In handheld mode, DLSS helps maintain clarity on the smaller screen so that the drop in resolution is less noticeable, while in docked mode it helps push a cleaner output to modern televisions without sacrificing the 30fps target. It is a bit like asking a skilled painter to fill in the missing strokes of a sketch, turning something rough into something that looks almost native at a glance.

Baked global illumination and lighting trade offs

Lighting is where many big open worlds stumble on weaker hardware, but Shadows on Switch 2 takes a surprisingly smart route by leaning on a refined baked global illumination system instead of heavy real time ray traced lighting. On more powerful platforms, Shadows can showcase advanced ray traced techniques, yet the team decided that on Switch 2 the priority should be memory savings and performance consistency. Baked global illumination means that a lot of light interactions are precomputed and stored, so the game can reuse those results at runtime instead of calculating everything every single frame. The upside for players is that interiors still feel moody, lanterns cast believable warmth on wooden beams and dusk scenes carry the right mix of orange and blue tones, all without forcing major cuts to the world itself. You still get crowded streets, swaying trees and detailed architecture, just lit with a more efficient technique that plays to the console’s strengths.

Switch 2 specific optimizations and cutbacks

To make everything run properly on Switch 2, Ubisoft did more than just change one or two toggles in a menu. The team went through level of detail settings, draw distances, texture resolution and object streaming rules, tuning each region so that the console is never overwhelmed by too many high detail assets at once. In dense towns, certain non essential NPC counts are reduced so that the busiest plazas do not drag the frame rate down, while distant foliage might pop in slightly closer than on other platforms to keep memory usage sensible. Clouds and cloth simulations still exist, but their internal data is trimmed to lighten the load on the GPU and ARM based processor. When you actually play, these changes mostly fade into the background, because the overall rhythm of exploration, stealth and combat feels intact. Instead of noticing that a vendor is missing from a corner, you notice that your inputs remain consistent when you slip through crowds or sprint across rooftops.

Cross progression and playing between Switch 2 and other platforms

One of the most reassuring touches for anyone living across multiple systems is full cross progression through Ubisoft Connect. If you started Shadows on another platform and want to continue on Switch 2, your progress can carry across rather than forcing a separate save or a fresh playthrough. That flexibility turns the Switch 2 version into a natural extension of your play routine instead of a second class citizen. Picture playing long sessions at home on a bigger machine, then picking up the story on your commute or during a trip using the Switch 2 without worrying about losing unlocked skills, gear or map progress. For players who treat Assassin’s Creed as a long term hobby rather than a weekend fling, cross progression makes the new portable option far easier to justify, especially when life gets busy and every spare moment counts.

Post launch updates and the Claws of Awaji expansion

Ubisoft is not throwing a bare bones build onto Switch 2 and walking away. At launch, this version includes all title updates released so far, with only the Claws of Awaji expansion missing from the initial package. That expansion, which takes players to Awaji Island for a new storyline and extra gear, is already confirmed for the system with a planned arrival sometime in 2026, and other platforms treat it as the single major expansion for Shadows. In practice, that means Switch 2 players will not be playing catch up forever, because post launch support has been planned with the hybrid console in mind. Ongoing patches are set to keep this version aligned with others, while future updates even mention keyboard and mouse support in docked mode, turning Switch 2 into a surprisingly flexible home for the game whether you like couch play, desk setups or something in between.

Developer insights from Bruno on the porting challenge

Behind all of these numbers and buzzwords sits a team that clearly sweated every decision, and Bruno’s comments capture that mood perfectly. He describes bringing Shadows to Switch 2 as one of the toughest challenges of his career, not because of a single impossible hurdle but because every piece of the engine needed to be reconsidered. Rendering systems, simulation data and game logic all had to learn to cooperate in a more constrained environment without losing the feel that players expect after seeing the game on other machines. The way the team talks about scalability in the Anvil engine, careful parameter tuning and the determination to keep VRR working at 30 frames per second shows a mindset that refuses to treat Switch 2 as a side project. It feels more like a puzzle they wanted to solve both for technical pride and for the players who will judge the result every time they boot up their console.

What Nintendo Switch 2 players can expect at launch and beyond

So what does all of this mean when you finally hit start on December 2 with a Switch 2 in your hands or under your television? First, expect a visually rich journey through Japan that maintains a stable 30 frames per second, helped by DLSS and VRR so that motion stays as smooth and responsive as possible in everyday play. Second, expect a feature complete experience that respects your time, with cross progression, touchscreen support for easier menu navigation and a roadmap that keeps this version marching alongside its siblings rather than drifting behind. Finally, expect a few compromises in crowd density and sharpness compared to the most powerful platforms, but not the kind that gut the atmosphere or scale. For players who want a blend of portability and big budget spectacle, Shadows on Switch 2 looks like a thoughtful answer, built by a team that clearly understood both the strengths and limits of Nintendo’s latest hardware.

Conclusion

Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 shows what happens when a publisher treats a hybrid console as a serious home for a flagship release instead of a rushed side project. By embracing VRR at 30 frames per second, leaning on DLSS for sharper images and rolling out a carefully crafted baked lighting solution, Ubisoft delivers a version of feudal Japan that still feels grand, moody and alive whether you play handheld or docked. The inclusion of almost every title update, cross progression through Ubisoft Connect and planned support for the Claws of Awaji expansion turn this release into more than a technical stunt, they turn it into a long term option for players who split their time between different systems. There are trade offs in resolution, crowd density and some visual flourishes, yet the heart of Shadows remains intact, giving Switch 2 owners a chance to experience the same sweeping tale in a way that fits comfortably into modern, mobile lives.

FAQs
  • Does Assassin’s Creed Shadows run at 30fps on Nintendo Switch 2 in both modes
    • Yes, Ubisoft targets a stable 30 frames per second in both handheld and docked modes on Nintendo Switch 2. The team combines settings tweaks, DLSS upscaling and a tailored VRR implementation to keep performance consistent while preserving as much visual detail as possible across environments and weather conditions.
  • How does VRR help Assassin’s Creed Shadows feel smoother on Switch 2
    • Variable refresh rate usually activates above 40 frames per second, but for Shadows on Switch 2 Ubisoft created a custom approach so VRR can still assist at 30 frames per second. By keeping the display refresh more closely in sync with each rendered frame, small timing variations are less noticeable, reducing judder and making camera movement feel more fluid during exploration and combat.
  • What role does DLSS play in the Switch 2 version of Assassin’s Creed Shadows
    • DLSS lets the game render at a lower internal resolution and then rebuild a sharper image using trained AI models, which eases the load on the GPU without making visuals look heavily downgraded. On Switch 2, this means finer details like foliage, building edges and armor patterns stay more legible on both the handheld screen and a television, helping maintain visual appeal while protecting the 30fps target.
  • Is all post launch support available at launch on Nintendo Switch 2
    • At release, the Switch 2 version includes all title updates that have been rolled out on other systems so far, so players are not starting from an outdated baseline. The one big exception is the Claws of Awaji expansion, which is scheduled to arrive on Switch 2 in 2026, with Ubisoft planning to keep ongoing patches and smaller additions aligned across platforms after launch.
  • Can progress carry over between Switch 2 and other platforms for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
    • Yes, progress can carry over because the game supports cross progression through Ubisoft Connect. If you begin your adventure on another platform and later pick up a Switch 2, you can sign in with the same account and continue your journey with your characters, gear and map progress intact, making it easy to treat Switch 2 as a travel friendly extension of your main setup.
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