Final Fantasy VII Remake on Switch 2 reportedly targets 40fps — why that matters and how it compares to PS5

28 August 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
10 min.
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Final Fantasy VII Remake on Switch 2 reportedly targets 40fps — why that matters and how it compares to PS5

Summary:

Reports from the Gamescom show floor indicate that Final Fantasy VII Remake on Nintendo Switch 2 is targeting 40 frames per second, a choice that sits between the common 30fps and 60fps profiles and pairs well with the system’s VRR-capable, high-refresh display. Early hands-on impressions initially suggested 30fps, but subsequent clarification from booth staff points to 40fps, aligning the demo with a modern performance approach we’ve seen elsewhere: a 40fps “sweet spot” designed for 120Hz displays that reduces input latency and delivers smoother motion than 30fps without the overhead of a full 60. On PlayStation 5, FF7 Remake Intergrade offers distinct modes—Graphics at 4K/30 and Performance at 60—which helps frame expectations for Switch 2’s menu of options. With VRR up to 120Hz supported by Switch 2 and a growing number of TVs able to accept 120Hz inputs, a 40fps target can feel surprisingly fluid—especially in handheld where VRR is built-in. Below, we break down what 40fps really means, how it compares to 30 and 60, how VRR factors into smoothness, what to expect in handheld versus docked play, and why this direction could be a smart balance for an ambitious port like FF7 Remake.

Why FF7 Remake’s reported 40fps on Switch 2 matters right now

Forty frames per second isn’t just a number in the middle—it’s a practical performance strategy that can elevate feel and responsiveness without demanding the full bandwidth of 60fps. For an action-forward RPG like Final Fantasy VII Remake, tighter frame pacing and shorter frame times translate into combat that reads faster, dodges that feel more responsive, and camera pans that glide rather than judder. The Switch 2’s hardware adds fuel to this approach: a high-refresh display with VRR creates room for 40fps to look and feel meaningfully smoother than the classic 30fps target. When you’re sprinting through Midgar’s alleyways, juggling ATB abilities, or lining up Punisher-stance counters, those extra frames help subtle animations pop and inputs land with confidence. Instead of gambling on 60 and risking unstable performance, a well-locked 40 can keep the experience consistent across dense scenes, large effects, and cutscene-to-gameplay transitions.

How this lines up with real show-floor chatter

On the ground at Gamescom, hands-on coverage first described the demo as running at a smooth 30fps, which already sounded encouraging given the scope of the original PS4 release. Shortly after, booth staff reportedly clarified that the build was actually set to 40fps, which explains why some captured clips felt “a bit too smooth” to be conventional 30. That shift from 30 to 40 reframes expectations: we’re not just looking at a stable, cinematic profile, but a deliberately chosen middle ground that leverages Switch 2’s display tech. If that holds for the final release, we’re likely to see a performance philosophy centered on consistent fluidity rather than peak frame rates at all costs. For players, that means fewer “whiplash” moments when effects stack up, and a more reliable feel across the game’s busiest encounters.

What booth staff reportedly confirmed at Gamescom—and how it differs from early hands-on impressions

Event coverage can be messy: you’ve got capture limitations, screens running at different refresh rates, and variable lighting and viewing angles. It’s easy to misread frame rate by eye—especially when the display’s refresh logic smooths motion. The initial 30fps takeaway came from early impressions, while later clarification from the Final Fantasy booth pointed to 40fps. Even if both groups were acting in good faith, those details can clash until official specs get posted. The practical takeaway is simpler: the demo felt “super smooth,” and that sensation dovetails with a 40fps target presented on a high-refresh, VRR-capable screen. For players making plans—physical vs. digital, day one vs. wait for patches—the important part is that the current trajectory favors stability and responsiveness over headline-grabbing numbers.

Why conflicting notes happen at shows

Floor builds are often time-boxed snapshots, and the people supervising demo stations aren’t always the engineers who set them up. Add in video embeds uploaded at 30 or 60, phones filming 120Hz panels, and you’ve got a recipe for mixed readings. That’s why it helps to focus on how the game felt to play, not just what a quick clip suggests. If multiple attendees independently describe combat as buttery and camera motion as clean, it supports the idea that frame times are shorter than 33.3ms. A 40fps target clocks in at 25ms per frame—a tangible upgrade. Even without final patch notes, the lived experience can tell you the direction of travel: FF7 Remake on Switch 2 is prioritizing fluid control and steady motion, not just raw pixel counts.

How 40fps works with 120Hz and VRR on Switch 2

Forty meshes neatly with 120Hz because 120 divides cleanly by 40—each frame persists for three refresh intervals—so motion cadence remains evenly paced. With variable refresh rate (VRR), the panel adapts its refresh timing to each new frame, ironing out micro-stutter and reducing tearing. That makes 40fps feel shockingly close to 60 in many scenarios while keeping GPU demands closer to a 30fps budget. Crucially, Switch 2 supports VRR up to 120Hz, and that opens the door for 40fps profiles to shine—especially in handheld mode where VRR is part of the default screen experience. The result? Less judder when panning through dense geometry, more stable UI animations, and a combat flow that rewards timing without punishing the hardware during effects-heavy sequences.

Frame pacing and perceived smoothness explained

Perception hinges on frame time, not just the number. At 30fps you’re looking at 33.3ms per frame; at 40fps, you drop to 25ms. That 8.3ms difference softens motion blur, improves controller feedback, and reduces the “stickiness” you sometimes feel when swinging the camera. Pair that with VRR and you’ve got a buffer against occasional dips that would otherwise be obvious at 30. In short: you’re gaining about a third more frames without committing to the full complexity of a 60fps pipeline. For a large-scale RPG built with lavish effects and detailed animation, it’s a smart compromise—especially on a hybrid device that has to balance clocks, thermals, and battery life.

What PS5’s Graphics vs Performance modes tell us about Switch 2 targets

On PlayStation 5, FF7 Remake Intergrade gives players clear choices: Graphics Mode prioritizes higher resolution at 30fps, while Performance Mode targets 60fps with a reduction in pixel count. That split shows how Square Enix thinks about the experience—offer stability first, then fluidity where cost-effective. If Switch 2 follows a similar vein, a 40fps-leaning option makes perfect sense. You get tangible smoothness gains over 30 while staying within the system’s design envelope. It also means players who prefer absolute clarity for photo mode and cutscenes could still opt for a more cinematic profile if offered, while action-oriented players ride the 40fps lane. The design philosophy carries over: give people a slider between sharpness and speed, then tune for consistency.

How these choices shape feel during real play

In Remake’s set pieces—Scorpion Sentinel’s arena, the catwalk chases, the effects-heavy boss tells—consistency beats spikes. A predictable cadence helps you read attacks and commit to dodges or blocks without second-guessing the camera. That’s where a 40fps profile sings: menus remain responsive, transitions don’t judder, and effects bursts don’t yank you out of rhythm. It feels like Square Enix is optimizing for the moments where input, camera, and particles collide, not just the static shots where screenshots look pristine. If you thrive on timing windows and snappy weapon swaps, that added fluidity pays off minute-to-minute.

Handheld vs docked: where 40fps and VRR make the biggest difference

Handheld is the natural showcase. With VRR available on the Switch 2’s built-in display, a 40fps target can look silkier and feel more immediate than a traditional 30fps cap. Docked, things depend on your TV: many modern sets accept 120Hz inputs, but VRR support and ranges can vary. If your television handles 120Hz and VRR well, you’ll likely get that same “40 feels great” effect. If it doesn’t, the game may fall back to fixed refresh behaviors that make 40 feel closer to 30. Either way, handheld is the most predictable environment for this mode—especially for players who value uniform smoothness across long sessions on the couch, train, or plane.

Travel-friendly smoothness without the battery panic

A locked 40fps profile can be friendlier to battery life than a fluctuating, nearly-60fps chase. Fewer spikes in GPU load mean steadier thermals and acoustics, so the device stays comfortable to hold while maintaining that zippy feel. For an RPG with long chapters and cinematic pacing, that balance keeps you in the flow: no noisy fans ramping under your palms, no obvious oscillation in motion during a long night run through Midgar. It’s a practical win as much as a technical one.

Image clarity expectations: resolution, reconstruction, and frame pacing

Clarity isn’t just pixels; it’s also how evenly those pixels arrive. A consistent 40 can make reconstructed or scaled images look better in motion than a higher-resolution feed with uneven pacing. Expect Switch 2 to lean on modern reconstruction where it makes sense and prioritize the lowest-latency presentation the hardware can deliver. The net effect is a picture that holds together during quick pans and combat effects, with fewer moments where UI text smears or particle fields shimmer. If you prize clean motion over screenshot bragging rights, this tuning is aimed squarely at you.

Cutscenes, camera sweeps, and the “butter test”

Long tracking shots and parallax-heavy scenes tend to expose frame pacing. At 40fps with proper presentation, those sequences should glide past the “jitter line” that 30fps sometimes crosses—especially on handheld. You’ll notice it most when rotating the camera around a detailed scene or when particle-rich effects pour across the screen. The more predictable the cadence, the more your eyes relax, and the more you can appreciate the animation work Square Enix poured into Remake’s overhauled cinematography.

Input latency: why 40fps is a noticeable step up from 30fps

Every frame shaved shortens the path from thumb to screen. With frame times dropping from ~33ms to ~25ms, you nudge responses closer to the “instant” feeling players associate with snappy action games. That’s not just theory; it shows up when you perfect-block, weave between tells, or time an ability to stagger. A smooth 40 keeps inputs feeling crisp while your eyes track motion cleanly, minimizing the “mushy” disconnect that sometimes creeps into 30fps profiles. And because Switch 2 supports high-refresh output, those incremental savings compound—your TV or handheld panel is ready to meet each new frame without waiting.

Why some players will still want 60

Preferences vary. If you play a lot of fighters or twitch shooters, 60 remains the gold standard. But in a story-driven action RPG, 40 can be indistinguishable from 60 for many players in day-to-day exploration and combat, especially with VRR smoothing the ride. The key is consistency: a rock-solid 40 often feels better than a wobbly 60 that drops at the worst possible time. For FF7 Remake on Switch 2, the current trajectory seems aimed at that reliable middle lane.

Practical setup notes for TVs and monitors connected to Switch 2

If you mainly play docked, check whether your TV supports 120Hz input and VRR. Many recent models do, but ranges differ. If your set only does 60Hz without VRR, a 40fps mode may present differently, sometimes leaning on frame-doubling or cadence tricks that don’t feel as buttery as handheld. If your TV supports 120Hz and VRR, you’re in the sweet spot: the console can present that 40fps cadence with even frame pacing and reduced tearing. Handheld users don’t have to think about this—VRR is available on the built-in panel, which is part of why the demo’s 40fps reports felt so smooth to attendees.

Audio-visual consistency beats extremes

Beyond numbers, what you want is predictability: UI that animates smoothly, particle effects that don’t tear, and sound that lands when visuals do. A 40fps target on a VRR panel gets you there more reliably than a bare-minimum 30. If Square Enix also provides a clarity-first profile for players who love pristine cutscenes, great—choice is good. But for everyday play, this balance is a smart fit for Switch 2’s hybrid design, and it aligns with broader trends we’ve seen across other high-profile releases experimenting with 40fps “quality-performance” modes.

The bottom line for FF7 Remake on Switch 2 and what to watch next

Right now, the story is about feel: reports point to a 40fps target on Switch 2 that pairs naturally with the system’s VRR-friendly hardware, while earlier hands-on notes at 30fps suggest the build has been tuned for stable, smooth motion either way. On PS5, Remake’s mode split demonstrates Square Enix’s willingness to give players control over fluidity versus resolution—useful context for what Switch 2 menus might offer. Keep an eye on official performance notes as launch approaches, but if the Gamescom demo is any indication, we should expect a comfortable, responsive experience that suits a long, cinematic RPG. For many players—especially handheld first—that’s exactly the trade-off worth making.

Conclusion

Reports of a 40fps target for Final Fantasy VII Remake on Switch 2 signal a player-focused performance choice: smoother than 30, steadier than a shaky 60, and a natural fit for a VRR-capable, high-refresh display. Paired with Square Enix’s history of offering multiple modes on other platforms, it sets the stage for a version that feels great in motion, respects battery and thermals, and keeps combat snappy. Handheld benefits most, docked depends on your TV, and either way the goal is clear—reliable smoothness that lets Midgar shine without distractions.

FAQs
  • Does FF7 Remake on Switch 2 really run at 40fps?
    • Reports from the Gamescom booth indicate the demo was set to 40fps, while early hands-on impressions initially cited 30fps. The consistent thread is that it felt very smooth, which aligns with a 40fps target on a high-refresh, VRR-capable display.
  • Why is 40fps a big deal compared to 30fps?
    • Frame time drops from ~33ms to ~25ms, tightening input feel and reducing judder. With VRR, 40fps can look and feel much closer to 60fps than you might expect, especially on handheld where VRR is built-in.
  • Will there be multiple modes on Switch 2 like on PS5?
    • On PS5, Remake offers Graphics (higher resolution at 30fps) and Performance (60fps). Coverage suggests Switch 2 will mirror the spirit of offering choices, though final options will be confirmed closer to release.
  • Do I need a special TV for docked play to feel smooth at 40fps?
    • A TV that supports 120Hz and VRR provides the best presentation for 40fps. If your TV lacks those features, handheld mode remains an excellent way to experience the game with VRR.
  • Is 60fps off the table on Switch 2?
    • Some analysis earlier in the year suggested 60fps was unlikely for this port. The current reports emphasize stability and smoothness through a 40fps target instead, which matches the hardware’s strengths and the game’s demands.
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