The performance debate around the Nintendo Switch 2 has been relentless, and I’ll admit: it’s one of those questions that’s actually worth obsessing over if you care how your games play. So when Takuto Edagawa, producer of Wild Hearts S, comes right out and says the Switch 2 is “closer to the Xbox Series S” in raw power than PS4, it’s worth listening up-and picking that statement apart. Nintendo’s hybrid machines have always been about trade-offs, but this latest comment from a dev actually shipping a demanding game speaks volumes about what to expect as a player.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Nintendo (hardware), Koei Tecmo (Wild Hearts S) |
| Release Date | July 25, 2024 (Wild Hearts S) |
| Genres | Action RPG (Wild Hearts S), Hybrid Console (Switch 2) |
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch 2, with comparisons to Xbox Series S and PS4 |
Ask most gamers what holds back hybrid hardware, and 9 times out of 10, it’s graphical horsepower. For years, the original Switch kind of got away with it—game design trumped pixel-count—and that “Nintendo magic” kept us coming back. But as the hardware standards have leapt forward, the margin for forgiveness shrinks. So seeing a producer actually compare the Switch 2’s guts not to the ageing PS4, but to the Xbox Series S—the entry-level “current gen” console—piques my interest. Not because I expect a pocket-sized powerhouse, but because this sets the bar for what’s realistic on the go.
Let’s get specific. In an interview with WCCFTech, Takuto Edagawa (who knows a thing or two about squeezing performance out of hardware, having shipped Wild Hearts on PS5, PC, and Series X/S) puts it like this: “There are a lot of characteristics when it comes to raw computational power, so it’s hard to generalize, but I think you can consider it closer to the Series S.” That word “closer” matters—he’s not saying it’s equal, just that, for practical purposes, Switch 2 is in that ballpark. For gamers used to the drastic visual compromises of major AAA ports on the old Switch, this is a step up. But it’s not the performance jump that puts vast open-worlds in your hands at Series X or PS5 levels. There will still be sacrifices. If you want everything at ultra quality, this isn’t the device—but if you want “impossible” third-party ports that actually feel good to play handheld, we’re probably about to see a lot more of them.
Case in point: Edagawa confirms Cyberpunk 2077 now runs on Switch 2 (with the usual quality tweaks). That’s wild—CD Projekt Red’s Frankenstein of technology, playable on a Nintendo hybrid. But read between the lines and you see the dev pain behind these ports: Wild Hearts S needed “quality and performance adjustments,” and they’re still running into multiplayer headaches. In fairness, even on “proper” consoles, Wild Hearts struggled with performance, so nothing here suggests Switch 2 is going to suddenly make every AAA port perfect.
All of this puts the Switch 2 in an interesting spot: it’s not competing on brute force, but it’s not hamstrung in the same way its predecessor was. If you’re hoping for “portable Series X” performance, temper those expectations—developers are still forced to compromise, especially when it comes to ambitious online modes, texture quality, and frame rates. But get excited for the fact that we’re entering an era where even notoriously demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Wild Hearts can land (in decent form) on a device you can throw in your backpack. I’ve been critical about the original Switch’s drought of big third-party games post-2021, and this hardware gen looks almost certain to reverse that trend. Cross-gen support is finally viable, not just a bullet point on a Nintendo investor slide.
It’s also telling that actual developers—people who want their work to shine—are saying “more Series S than PS4.” That’s not marketing fluff; it’s a nod to practical realities. If you’re a power user obsessed with the best graphics, you’ll still go PC or flagship console. But for the millions of gamers who want a single machine that can do it all (home and portable), this comment is a green flag. There will be concessions, but for the typical gamer, those trade-offs might finally be worth it.
The key takeaway? The Switch 2 won’t outgun the PS5 or Series X—but its performance leap means way more AAA games will run well enough to make playing on the go actually satisfying. Raw specs are closer to Series S than PS4, according to a dev who actually has to make the stuff work, and that’s a win for those of us who care about both cool games and versatility. This feels like the real start of handheld “current-gen,” not the end of compromise—but a big upgrade from last gen’s portable limits.
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