Bethesda just released Skyrim for the ninth time, and somehow managed to mess it up. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition dropped on Nintendo Switch 2 on December 9, 2025, and players are not happy. Despite running on more powerful hardware, this 14-year-old RPG is still locked at 30fps, takes up a ridiculous 53GB of storage space, and suffers from input lag so bad that some are calling it borderline unplayable.
The 30fps Problem Everyone’s Talking About
When the original Skyrim launched on Switch back in 2017, running at 30fps felt acceptable. It was impressive that Bethesda managed to squeeze their ambitious RPG onto Nintendo’s hybrid console at all. But in 2025, on hardware that’s significantly more powerful, that same framerate cap feels lazy. The Switch 2 version of Skyrim runs at dynamic 1440p when docked and dynamic 1080p in handheld mode, but both are locked to 30fps.
What makes this particularly frustrating is that other demanding games perform better on Switch 2. Cyberpunk 2077, a far more graphically intensive title released in 2020, manages to hit 40fps on the same hardware. Meanwhile, Skyrim runs at 60fps or higher on virtually every other modern platform, including last-generation consoles. Players on Reddit have voiced their disbelief that Bethesda couldn’t optimize a game from 2011 to run at higher framerates on 2025 hardware.
Input Lag Makes It Feel Broken
The performance issues don’t stop at the framerate. Multiple players have reported experiencing severe input lag, particularly in handheld mode. The delay between pressing buttons and seeing actions happen on screen is described as “horrendous” and “genuinely unplayable” by some users. Combined with the 30fps cap, the overall experience feels sluggish and unresponsive in ways that the original Switch version didn’t.
This input lag problem has become one of the most consistent complaints across gaming forums and social media. When a game’s controls feel disconnected from your inputs, it fundamentally breaks the experience, especially for a game that involves real-time combat and exploration.
Why Is This Game 53GB?
Perhaps the most baffling aspect of this port is its file size. Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 requires 53GB of storage space. To put that in perspective, the PC Special Edition is only 12GB, and even with the Anniversary Edition DLC added, it totals around 25GB. On Xbox Series X/S, the full Anniversary Edition takes up 32GB.
So why is the Switch 2 version nearly twice the size of its Xbox counterpart? Some Reddit users have theorized that Bethesda included every language version of every DLC using an outdated file structure from the original Skyrim release. According to one analysis, the original Skyrim’s total size across all depots on Steam is approximately 48GB, and adding the 6GB Anniversary Edition content gets you to that 53GB total. Whether this is intentional or a packaging error remains unclear, but it’s hard to justify when Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 is only 60GB and looks significantly better.
What You Actually Get
Despite the problems, there are some improvements over the original Switch version. The Switch 2 port features enhanced resolution, significantly improved loading times (from 61 seconds down to 17 seconds for loading saves), and better overall visual quality with sharper textures and lighting. The game includes all three expansion packs (Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire), hundreds of Creation Club items, and the Nintendo-exclusive Legend of Zelda content including the Master Sword and Hylian Shield.
The upgrade path is reasonably fair. If you own the Anniversary Edition on original Switch, the upgrade is free. If you only own the base edition, you can upgrade for $19.99. New players will pay $59.99 for the full package.
Bethesda’s Pattern Continues
This isn’t the first time Bethesda has released a questionable port of Skyrim. The game has now been released on ten different platforms since 2011, earning it meme status in the gaming community. While some ports have been solid (the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions run beautifully), others have launched with issues that required patches to fix.
The Switch 2 release feels particularly disappointing because the hardware is clearly capable of better performance. Bethesda claims the port features “performance optimization,” but the results suggest otherwise. Many fans are hoping that patches will address the framerate cap and input lag issues, though Bethesda hasn’t announced any plans for updates yet.
FAQs
What framerate does Skyrim run at on Switch 2?
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is locked at 30fps on Switch 2, both in docked and handheld modes. This is the same framerate as the original Switch version despite the more powerful hardware.
How big is the Skyrim Switch 2 download?
The game requires 53GB of storage space, which is significantly larger than other platform versions. The PC version is only 12GB, and the Xbox Series X/S version is 32GB.
Does Skyrim have input lag on Switch 2?
Yes, many players are reporting severe input lag, especially in handheld mode. The delay between button presses and on-screen actions has been described as making the game nearly unplayable by some users.
Is the Switch 2 upgrade free?
If you own Skyrim Anniversary Edition on the original Switch, the upgrade to Switch 2 is free. If you only own the base edition, you can upgrade for $19.99. New buyers pay $59.99.
What improvements does the Switch 2 version have?
The Switch 2 version features enhanced resolution (dynamic 1440p docked, 1080p handheld), dramatically improved loading times, better textures and lighting, Joy-Con 2 mouse support, and motion controls. It includes all DLC and Creation Club content.
Will Bethesda patch the performance issues?
Bethesda hasn’t announced any plans for patches yet, but the company has a history of updating its games post-launch. Players are hoping future updates will address the framerate cap and input lag problems.
How does it compare to other Switch 2 games?
Poorly. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 run at 40fps on Switch 2 and only take up 60GB, making Skyrim’s 30fps cap and 53GB file size look particularly bad by comparison.
Should You Buy It?
Right now, it’s hard to recommend Skyrim on Switch 2 unless you’re absolutely desperate to play it portably and don’t own any other platform. The combination of 30fps performance, input lag issues, and bloated file size makes this one of the weaker versions of the game available. If you already own it on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, you’re better off sticking with those versions. If Bethesda releases patches that fix the major problems, it might become worth considering, but until then, this port feels like a cash grab that doesn’t respect players’ time or storage space.