Ubisoft and Nintendo’s Switch 2 VRR push – why smoother handheld play is not just about fps

27 December 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
10 min.
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Ubisoft and Nintendo’s Switch 2 VRR push – why smoother handheld play is not just about fps

Summary:

We have all felt it: a game can say “30 fps” on the box, yet one title feels surprisingly smooth while another feels like it is dragging its feet through wet cement. That gap often comes down to consistency. Ubisoft has described how it uses a VRR-focused technique on Nintendo Switch 2 in both Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws, and it is not just a one-off hack for a single release. The interesting part is that Ubisoft also says it is working with Nintendo to improve VRR support going forward, which points to a broader push to make handheld performance feel steadier, even when games are not chasing high frame rates.

At the heart of this is a practical limitation: VRR typically has a lower operating range, and the Switch 2 setup Ubisoft discussed treats 40Hz as an important threshold. That is awkward for games aiming at 30 fps, because the usual “VRR will fix it” promise can fall apart right where many big, ambitious titles live. Ubisoft’s answer is a method that keeps VRR active by presenting frames in a way the display pipeline can use, and the result is a more fluid feel that shows up in camera motion, input response, and how the game handles small frame time wobbles. We are going to unpack what VRR actually does, why the 40Hz floor matters, what Ubisoft says it is doing under the hood, and what this could mean as Switch 2 system software matures.

Ubisoft and Switch 2 performance

Ubisoft has been unusually direct about one specific piece of Switch 2 performance tech: Variable Refresh Rate, better known as VRR. In comments shared through an interview and follow-up reporting, Ubisoft says it has been working with Nintendo to improve VRR support on the platform, and that this work is continuing. That matters because VRR is not a single “on or off” checkbox in the way people sometimes talk about it. It sits at the intersection of display behavior, system software, and how a game delivers frames. If one side is picky, everyone feels it. So when Ubisoft talks about collaborating with Nintendo here, it is basically saying, “We found something that works, and we want it to work more reliably and more widely.” If you have ever wished your handheld games felt less jittery when you pan the camera, this is the kind of behind-the-scenes effort that can turn “pretty good” into “feels right.”

What VRR is and why it matters on handheld screens

VRR is the display equivalent of a good dance partner: it follows your lead instead of forcing you to keep up with a rigid beat. Normally, a display refreshes at a fixed rate, like 60Hz, which means it redraws the screen 60 times per second whether the game is ready or not. When a game’s frame delivery does not line up neatly with that rhythm, you can get stutter or screen tearing, depending on how the system handles timing. VRR lets the display vary its refresh timing to better match when frames actually arrive. On a handheld, where performance targets can be tighter and frame time spikes happen more often, that flexibility can be the difference between motion that feels buttery and motion that feels like it has tiny speed bumps. It is not magic, but it can make imperfect performance feel less distracting, which is exactly what you want when the screen is inches from your face.

The 40Hz floor problem and why 30 fps games need tricks

Here is the catch: VRR usually works only within a supported range, and lower limits are a big deal. Ubisoft has described the common expectation that VRR’s lower bound is typically around 40 fps, and it also notes that Switch 2 VRR, as discussed in relation to these ports, only works at 40Hz or higher in the standard sense. That is a problem because many big games aim for 30 fps on handheld hardware to keep visuals, world detail, and battery draw in balance. If VRR goes to sleep below that lower bound, then the very titles that could benefit most from smoother pacing are left out in the cold. Think of it like cruise control that switches off the moment you hit a hill. You can still drive, sure, but it is not helping where you wanted it. Ubisoft’s approach is aimed right at that awkward gap, trying to keep VRR useful even when the game is not living above 40 fps.

Ubisoft’s VRR workaround in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Ubisoft has publicly explained that Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Switch 2 uses a dedicated algorithm to keep VRR enabled even at 30 fps. The key idea is not to pretend the game is suddenly running faster, but to feed the display pipeline in a way that stays compatible with how VRR expects to operate. Ubisoft frames this as a deliberate choice: it did not want to compromise on the feel of the game just because the target is 30 fps, so it built a solution that preserves fluidity and responsiveness. If you have ever played two different 30 fps games and wondered why one feels “cleaner” when you move the camera, this is the kind of engineering that can create that difference. It is less about chasing bragging rights and more about reducing the friction between your hands and what you see on screen.

Doubling frames to keep VRR engaged

Ubisoft’s explanation gets surprisingly concrete: it describes presenting the same frame twice within a cycle, effectively outputting at a 60Hz interval while maintaining smooth visuals at a 30 fps target. In plain language, the game still updates its simulation at 30 fps, but the system feeds the display in a pattern that keeps VRR active and avoids the “VRR falls below the floor and stops helping” problem. This is the sort of trick that sounds simple when you say it quickly, but it is tricky to do without causing other issues, like uneven pacing or weird visual artifacts. The point is not to inflate numbers, it is to stabilize the experience. If you imagine VRR as a door that only opens above a certain speed, Ubisoft is basically finding a safe way to knock twice so the door keeps opening on time.

Why it feels smoother even at 30 fps

So why would duplicating frames make anything feel better if the game is still “only” 30 fps? Because your eyes are extremely sensitive to timing consistency. Stutter is often less about the average frame rate and more about the rhythm being uneven, like a drummer who keeps drifting off beat. By keeping the display behavior more predictable and VRR engaged, the motion you see can feel steadier during camera pans and small shifts in viewpoint. That steadiness also helps the game feel more responsive, even if the underlying update rate is unchanged, because what you see lines up more reliably with what you just did on the controller. It is the difference between pushing a shopping cart with a wobbly wheel versus one that tracks straight. The cart is still the same speed, but one makes you fight it the whole way.

Star Wars Outlaws and the same approach in practice

Ubisoft says Star Wars Outlaws uses a similar technique to take advantage of Switch 2 VRR, even below the typical 40Hz threshold. That is notable because it suggests this is not a one-game experiment that only works with one rendering setup. Outlaws is built on different tech than Assassin’s Creed’s core engine stack, yet Ubisoft is still pointing to the same VRR goal: keep motion feeling fluid on handheld even when performance targets are realistic rather than flashy. If you are the kind of player who notices camera judder while exploring dense environments, this is exactly where the benefit should show up. Open worlds are full of little performance surprises, and you cannot always brute-force them away on portable hardware. So a technique that smooths the “feel” without demanding a huge frame rate jump is like finding a quieter road home instead of trying to buy a faster car.

Why engine-level support in Anvil changes the game

One of the bigger implications Ubisoft has shared is that this VRR support is now integrated into its Anvil engine, which powers many of its modern games. That is a big shift from “we custom-built a trick for one port” to “this is part of our toolbox now.” When something becomes engine-level, it is easier to reuse, easier to standardize, and easier to improve over time without reinventing the wheel for every release. For you, that can translate into more consistent handheld performance across future Ubisoft titles that use Anvil, because the VRR behavior is not an afterthought bolted on at the end. It can be planned, tested, and tuned earlier. And if Ubisoft is also coordinating with Nintendo to improve VRR support at the system level, those improvements can stack. Think of it like upgrading both the car’s suspension and the road surface. Either one helps, but together they change how the whole ride feels.

What “working with Nintendo” can realistically mean

When a publisher says it is working with a platform holder, it can mean a lot of things, and the most realistic version is also the most useful: shared problem solving. Nintendo controls system software behavior, display pipeline choices, and how VRR is exposed to developers. Ubisoft controls how its games present frames, how its engines schedule rendering, and how it reacts to platform constraints. A collaboration here could involve improving the way the system negotiates VRR ranges, refining how VRR behaves under certain performance conditions, or making the developer-facing tools clearer and more robust. Ubisoft has also used language that suggests it would like the benefits of its technique to become more commonplace as system software evolves. That is a careful way of saying, “We can do a lot in our games, but the platform can make this easier, more consistent, and maybe available to more developers.” If you like the idea of smoother handheld play becoming normal instead of rare, this is the path that gets you there.

What players should notice in day-to-day play

If you are wondering what any of this means when you are actually playing, the answer is: motion comfort. You are less likely to feel that tiny hitch when you rotate the camera, sweep across a busy scene, or move through an area that is right on the edge of the hardware’s comfort zone. You might also notice that input feels a bit more “connected” because what you see updates in a steadier rhythm, even when the game is pushing big visuals at 30 fps. It is not going to turn a demanding open world into a locked 60 fps experience, and it is not supposed to. This is more like taking a bumpy road and laying down fresh asphalt on the worst sections. You still have turns, hills, and traffic, but the ride stops rattling your teeth. For handheld play, that kind of improvement can matter more than a raw number on a spec sheet.

What developers can borrow from this approach

Ubisoft’s public explanation is also a signal to the wider development community: VRR can be useful even when your target is not above 40 fps, but you may need to be clever about how you feed the display pipeline. The broader lesson is that frame pacing and delivery strategy are just as important as raw rendering speed. If the system and the game collaborate on timing, you can reduce visible stutter without chasing unrealistic performance targets. That does not mean every developer should copy the exact same method, because engines and rendering approaches vary, and platform-level support can change what is needed. But the mindset is transferable: treat display behavior as part of performance, not a passive output at the end. For players, that is good news, because it means “feels smooth” can be engineered intentionally rather than left to luck.

Looking ahead for Switch 2 software updates and VRR

Ubisoft has said it is continuing to work with Nintendo to improve VRR support going forward, and that phrasing is doing a lot of work. It hints at iteration: patches, refinements, and potentially broader improvements in how VRR behaves across the platform as the system software matures. If that happens, the upside is not limited to one publisher. Better VRR support can help more games feel stable, especially when handheld performance is balanced between visuals, thermals, and battery life. The most exciting version of this future is not a single miracle update, it is steady progress where more releases land with smoother motion as a baseline expectation. If Switch 2’s early era is about developers learning the hardware, this kind of VRR work is like giving everyone a better set of running shoes. You still have to train, but it gets easier to run well.

Conclusion

Ubisoft’s VRR talk around Switch 2 is interesting because it focuses on what you actually feel, not just what you can measure. The company has explained a technique used in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws that aims to keep VRR useful even at a 30 fps target, and it has also said it is working with Nintendo to improve VRR support going forward. That combination matters. A smart game-side solution can deliver results today, while platform-side refinements can make those results more consistent and easier to adopt. If you mostly play handheld, this is the kind of behind-the-scenes work that can quietly improve your everyday experience, especially in big games where performance is always a balancing act. It is also a reminder that “smooth” is not just about chasing higher fps. Sometimes it is about timing, rhythm, and removing the little irritations that pull you out of the moment.

FAQs
  • What is VRR and why does it matter on Switch 2?
    • VRR lets the display adjust its refresh timing to better match when frames arrive, which can reduce stutter and tearing. On a handheld, that can make camera motion feel steadier even when performance is not perfect.
  • Why is 40Hz such a big deal for VRR?
    • VRR typically operates within a supported range, and a lower bound around 40Hz can leave 30 fps games outside the “helpful” zone. That is why Ubisoft focused on a method to keep VRR engaged even at a 30 fps target.
  • How does Ubisoft say it keeps VRR active at 30 fps?
    • Ubisoft describes presenting the same frame twice within a cycle so the hardware outputs at a 60Hz interval while the game targets 30 fps. The goal is steadier pacing and a smoother feel, not higher simulation speed.
  • Does this mean every Switch 2 game will automatically feel smoother?
    • Not automatically. Ubisoft’s method is tied to how a game delivers frames and how the platform handles VRR. The encouraging part is that Ubisoft says it is working with Nintendo to improve VRR support going forward.
  • Why does engine-level VRR support in Anvil matter?
    • If VRR behavior is built into the engine, it is easier to reuse and improve across multiple games. Ubisoft has indicated this VRR support is part of Anvil now, which could make smoother handheld motion more common in future Anvil-based titles.
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