---
title: "Nightdive says Switch 1 support is getting increasingly difficult, Switch 2 preferred"
url: "https://www.nintendoreporters.com/en/news/nintendo-switch-2/nightdive-says-switch-1-support-is-getting-increasingly-difficult-switch-2-preferred/"
description: "Nightdive Switch 1 support under pressure: read why the studio is increasingly moving to Switch 2 and what that means for you, with tips now."
author: "Patrick Dankers"
published at: "2026-09-22 18:27:34"
image: "https://www.nintendoreporters.com/storage/files/nightdive-zegt-switch-1-ondersteuning-wordt-steeds-moeilijker-switch-2-krijgt-de-voorkeur.jpeg"
markdown url: "https://www.nintendoreporters.com/en/news/nintendo-switch-2/nightdive-says-switch-1-support-is-getting-increasingly-difficult-switch-2-preferred.md"
---

Nightdive says Switch 1 support is getting increasingly difficult, Switch 2 preferred | Nintendo Switch 2 News | NintendoReporters

 [![Nightdive says Switch 1 support is getting increasingly difficult, Switch 2 preferred](https://www.nintendoreporters.com/storage/files/nightdive-zegt-switch-1-ondersteuning-wordt-steeds-moeilijker-switch-2-krijgt-de-voorkeur.jpeg "Nightdive says Switch 1 support is getting increasingly difficult, Switch 2 preferred")](https://www.nintendoreporters.com/storage/files/nightdive-zegt-switch-1-ondersteuning-wordt-steeds-moeilijker-switch-2-krijgt-de-voorkeur.jpeg)**Summary:**

Nightdive continues to support the original Nintendo Switch, but acknowledges that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get modern remasters to run smoothly on that older hardware. In a recent interview Grover Wimberly IV emphasized that the studio respects Switch 1 owners and their desire to keep playing games, but that the technical limitations of the nearly ten-year-old system require extra work and compromises. While the new Switch 2 offers more processing power and features, that means better frame rates, sharper textures and faster load times for developers, and often free upgrades or preserved save files for players. As a Nintendo fan, it’s important for you to know what this concretely means for upcoming remasters like SiN: Reloaded and how you can adjust your collection and expectations accordingly.

---

## [](#what-nightdive-says-about-switch-1-and-switch-2)What Nightdive says about Switch 1 and Switch 2

Nightdive has openly stated that they want to keep supporting Switch 1 as long as possible, but that it’s getting increasingly hard to make contemporary remasters run well on older hardware. Grover Wimberly IV, project manager and producer/director at Nightdive, said that Switch 1 deserves respect, but that it’s an old console and developers are running into more and more limits. At the same time Switch 2 offers extra power and capabilities that make remasters less compromise-heavy. For you as a player that often means the best visual and performance experiences will happen on Switch 2, while Nightdive tries to keep the Switch 1 versions playable and saves intact during upgrades.

## [](#why-switch-1-is-becoming-harder-to-support)Why Switch 1 is becoming harder to support

The core of the problem is simple: hardware ages. Processors, graphical capabilities and memory that developers could assume ten years ago have now become the minimum, while modern remasters rely on more resources. That leads to difficult choices: either you scale content down and accept lower frame rates and textures, or you develop separately for both systems, which brings extra time and cost. For studios like Nightdive, which place a lot of value on fidelity to the original and quality improvements, that means they sometimes have to tone down features or invent optimizations to get games running well on Switch 1. This is not criticism of players; it’s simply the reality of working with older systems.

### [](#technical-limits-of-older-hardware)Technical limits of older hardware

Older consoles have limits in memory bandwidth, GPU capacity and I/O speed that modern game engines see as bottlenecks. For remasters this often means reworking assets, compressing textures and sometimes rewriting graphical code to hit performance targets without making the game unrecognizable. Nightdive uses internal tools like the KEX engine to ease this process, but even those solutions have limits when it comes to native resolutions, anti-aliasing, or using modern shaders. In addition, long load times and framerate dips make a bad impression on players, so developers have to prioritize: what stays, what can be adjusted and what must be left out for the Switch 1 version.

### [](#player-experience-and-expectations)Player experience and expectations

Players often expect a remaster to be prettier and smoother than the original, but that expectation can clash with the reality of older hardware. For fans still playing on Switch 1 it’s important to have realistic expectations: improvements often come in steps and some features that are possible on Switch 2, such as higher frame rates or mouse support, are simply not achievable on Switch 1. Nightdive stresses that gamers who want to upgrade to Switch 2 often won’t need to buy again and that savedata is preserved when technically possible. That makes the transition more attractive, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Switch 2 version will generally offer the ‘best’ experience.

## [](#what-nightdive-does-in-practice-to-preserve-compatibility)What Nightdive does in practice to preserve compatibility

To support Switch 1 as long as possible Nightdive looks for smart optimizations and often provides scalable options in the settings. Think adjustable resolutions, performance modes or the ability to switch between original and updated graphics. The studio also tries to make upgrades between versions go smoothly so that Switch 1 owners aren’t faced with broken saves or duplicate purchases. That approach requires extra QA, more builds and sometimes creative technical solutions—all things that take time and budget. Nightdive balances their ambition as caretakers of classic games with the practical need to take advantage of new platform features.

#### [](#sin-reloaded-and-what-switch-owners-can-expect)SiN: Reloaded and what Switch owners can expect

A concrete example is SiN: Reloaded, Nightdive’s next remaster that will also appear on Nintendo hardware. Nighttime shooters like SiN demand a lot from hardware because of fast post-processing, dynamic lighting and many enemies on screen at once. For Switch 1 Nightdive will have to choose optimizations that preserve the core experience without load times and frame rate ruining the fun. For Switch 2 improvements like higher resolutions, faster load times and possible mouse support are more realistic. As a player it’s smart to look at release notes and patchnotes: developers often update after release to fix issues on specific hardware, and upgrades to Switch 2 versions have in the past been offered for free by Nightdive when technically possible.

## [](#what-this-means-for-nintendo-fans-and-your-game-collection)What this means for Nintendo fans and your game collection

For collectors and fans this development makes it more important to make platform choices deliberately. If you’re mainly attached to the original Switch experience, many remasters will remain playable but perhaps not in their shiniest form. If your goal is to experience games at the highest possible quality, a Switch 2 becomes interesting. Fortunately Nightdive tries to bridge the gap by making upgrades smooth and by paying attention to backwards compatibility. If you want to stay informed about releases and which versions perform best, visit our page about [Nintendo Switch](https://www.nintendoreporters.com/en/nintendo-switch/) and the special section for [Nintendo Switch 2](https://www.nintendoreporters.com/en/nintendo-switch-2/) for news, updates and tips.

##### [](#how-you-as-a-player-can-prepare)How you as a player can prepare

If you want to anticipate this transition, consider a few practical steps: keep your Switch software and microSD backups up to date, check whether your favorite remasters support save transfers and watch for studios offering free upgrades. If you frequently buy remasters it can make financial sense to wait for Switch 2 support or to watch for sales. Also consider following our 100% Nintendo page for focused Nintendo updates and community feedback. This will give you a better idea of which titles get priority for upgrades and which may remain limited to technical concessions on older hardware.

##### [](#conclusion)Conclusion

In short: Nightdive wants to keep supporting Switch 1 as long as possible, but acknowledges that more and more remasters are technically hard to execute on older hardware. The rise of Switch 2 makes it more attractive for developers to implement modern improvements, while players benefit from smoother upgrades and better performance. For you as a fan that means making choices based on desired quality and budget, and watching whether developers offer free upgrades and preserved saved data. NintendoReporters continues to follow these developments and provides relevant updates and advice so you as a player can stay well informed.

##### [](#faqs)FAQs

- **Does Nightdive still support new remasters on Switch 1?**
    - Nightdive tries to support Switch 1 when technically possible, but notes that it’s getting harder due to aging hardware. For some titles that means the best experience will be on Switch 2.
- **Will I lose my save files if I upgrade from Switch 1 to Switch 2?**
    - Nightdive has said that players generally do not need to lose their save files during upgrades when technically possible; always check a game’s specific release information.
- **Will SiN: Reloaded run well on Switch 1?**
    - SiN: Reloaded will appear on both platforms, but Switch 2 will likely provide smoother frame rates and better visuals; the Switch 1 version will be optimized but may have compromises.
- **Should I wait to buy until the Switch 2 version comes out?**
    - That depends on your priorities: if you want the best possible experience, waiting can make sense; if you want to play as soon as the remaster launches and you don’t have a Switch 2, the Switch 1 version is often still worth it.
- **Where can I find reliable updates about Switch releases?**
    - Follow NintendoReporters and our sections on [Nintendo Switch](https://www.nintendoreporters.com/en/nintendo-switch/) and [Nintendo Switch 2](https://www.nintendoreporters.com/en/nintendo-switch-2/) for news, release info and practical tips.

##### [](#sources)Sources

- [Remaster studio Nightdive wants to continue supporting Nintendo Switch 1, but “getting harder and harder” to do so](https://nintendoeverything.com/remaster-studio-nightdive-wants-to-continue-supporting-nintendo-switch-1-but-getting-harder-and-harder-to-do-so/), Nintendo Everything, September 11, 2026
- [SiN: Reloaded shoots in a late September release and a Switch 2 version](https://nintendowire.com/news/2026/08/19/sin-reloaded-shoots-in-a-late-september-release-and-a-switch-2-version/), Nintendo Wire, August 19, 2026
- [Why Nightdive Remastered System Shock 2 Instead of Remaking It](https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/03/20/why-nightdive-remastered-system-shock-2-instead-of-remaking-it/), XBOX Wire, March 20, 2025
- [Nightdive Studios are masters of retro game remakes – this is how it’s done](https://www.creativebloq.com/features/nightdive-studios-the-art-of-game-remakes), Creative Bloq, February 29, 2024

   [](#)

 [  ](#)

> Generated for use by AI and Large Language Models (LLMs).
> Generated: 2026-09-23 01:01:14
> Maintained by: NintendoReporters
> Source: https://www.nintendoreporters.com/
> Contact: webmaster@nintendoreporters.com