Ubisoft just revealed they’re collaborating with Nintendo to improve Variable Refresh Rate support on the Switch 2, potentially solving one of the console’s most limiting technical restrictions. The French publisher figured out how to make VRR work on games running at 30 frames per second, even though the Switch 2 hardware officially only supports VRR at 40Hz or higher. Now they’re sharing that technology with Nintendo to implement across the entire platform, which could fundamentally change how third-party games perform on the hybrid console.
The VRR Problem Nobody Talked About
Nintendo Switch 2 launched with impressive specs including a 1080p display supporting Variable Refresh Rate up to 120Hz. VRR technology synchronizes the screen refresh rate with the game’s frame rate, eliminating screen tearing and making gameplay feel smoother even when frame rates fluctuate. The catch? Nintendo’s implementation only works at 40Hz or higher, leaving 30fps games completely unable to use the feature.
This limitation matters more than it sounds. Many demanding AAA games target 30fps on Switch 2 because hitting 40fps consistently proves impossible without massive visual compromises. Without VRR support, these 30fps games experience screen tearing and judder that VRR technology exists specifically to eliminate. Ubisoft faced this exact problem when porting Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which runs at a locked 30fps on the handheld.
The Clever Workaround That Changes Everything
Ubisoft’s engineering team developed what they call a dedicated algorithm that tricks the Switch 2’s VRR into working at 30fps. The solution involves displaying the same frame twice during each rendering cycle, once in the middle of the interval and again at the end. This effectively presents frames at a 60Hz output interval to the hardware while maintaining smooth 30fps gameplay visuals.
In an interview with French publication FRVR about the Assassin’s Creed Shadows port, developers explained the technical approach. Since Shadows targets 30fps and the console’s VRR currently only activates at 40Hz or higher, they built this workaround directly into Ubisoft’s Anvil Engine. Both Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws use the identical technique, demonstrating it works reliably across different game types and scenarios.
Why This Matters for Every Switch 2 Game
The huge news isn’t just that Ubisoft solved this for their own titles. They confirmed they’re continuing to work with Nintendo to improve VRR support system-wide going forward. This suggests the algorithm enabling smooth 30fps VRR performance could become standard functionality available to all developers through future software updates. If Nintendo implements this at the OS level, every 30fps game on Switch 2 could potentially benefit.
The implications are massive for third-party support. Publishers considering Switch 2 ports often face brutal choices between hitting higher frame rates with drastically reduced visuals or targeting 30fps with better graphics but worse screen tearing. If VRR works properly at 30fps, that calculation changes completely. Developers can confidently target 30fps knowing the experience will feel significantly smoother than traditional 30fps without VRR.
Ubisoft’s Switch 2 Commitment
Ubisoft has positioned itself as the Switch 2’s biggest AAA supporter, just like they did with the original Switch launch. They released two technically impressive ports within the console’s first few months. Star Wars Outlaws arrived as a full port of Massive Entertainment’s open-world adventure, while Assassin’s Creed Shadows launched on Switch 2 the same day as other platforms in December 2025.
Both games showcase what the Switch 2 can handle when developers invest proper resources. Outlaws maintains its expansive planets and detailed character models. Shadows preserves the gorgeous feudal Japan setting with dynamic weather and dense foliage. Neither game makes the visual compromises typical of Switch ports from previous generations. The VRR workaround plays a crucial role in making these 30fps experiences feel responsive and smooth rather than choppy.
The Technical Deep Dive
Understanding exactly what Ubisoft accomplished requires looking at how VRR typically functions. Traditional VRR matches display refresh to GPU frame output. When a game renders at 57fps, the display refreshes at 57Hz. When it drops to 43fps, the display drops to 43Hz. This synchronization eliminates the disconnect that causes screen tearing when refresh rate and frame rate don’t match.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 VRR implementation operates within a 40Hz to 120Hz range. Games running above 40fps benefit automatically. But 30fps sits below that threshold, meaning the display would refresh at a fixed rate while the game renders at 30fps, creating the exact tearing and judder VRR prevents. Ubisoft’s solution makes the GPU present frames at 60Hz intervals by doubling frame presentation, satisfying the VRR minimum while maintaining 30fps gameplay timing.
What Developers Are Saying
The Ubisoft team working on Assassin’s Creed Shadows emphasized that this technology is now supported within the Anvil Engine for future titles. While they didn’t confirm which upcoming Ubisoft games are planned for Switch 2, the statement suggests we’ll see more ports using this technique. Rumors about an Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag remake releasing on Switch 2 gained credibility considering Ubisoft now has proven tech for making these ports viable.
The developers’ comments about continuing collaboration with Nintendo hint at a longer-term roadmap. Software updates for Switch 2 could gradually improve VRR implementation as Nintendo learns from Ubisoft’s work. This partnership benefits everyone in the ecosystem since better VRR support makes the platform more attractive for third-party AAA releases that traditionally struggle on Nintendo hardware due to performance constraints.
Competition and Context
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X both support VRR, but their implementations differ significantly from Switch 2’s hybrid use case. Home consoles connect to TVs with HDMI 2.1 VRR support, offering wider frequency ranges and more robust functionality. Switch 2’s internal display VRR works differently, with tighter restrictions that made the 40Hz floor particularly limiting. Ubisoft essentially created a console-specific solution tailored to Switch 2’s unique architecture.
This situation mirrors how developers historically approached Nintendo platforms. The company’s hardware always required creative problem-solving to achieve comparable results to competing systems. Ubisoft’s VRR workaround continues that tradition, using clever software engineering to overcome hardware limitations. The difference this time is Nintendo seems willing to adopt the solution system-wide rather than leaving it as a per-game implementation.
FAQs
What is VRR on Nintendo Switch 2?
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is a technology that synchronizes the Switch 2’s display refresh rate with a game’s frame rate, eliminating screen tearing and making gameplay smoother. The Switch 2’s 1080p display supports VRR up to 120Hz, but officially only works at 40Hz or higher.
How did Ubisoft make VRR work at 30fps?
Ubisoft developed an algorithm that displays the same frame twice, once in the middle of the rendering interval and again at the end. This makes the hardware output at 60Hz intervals while maintaining smooth 30fps gameplay, tricking the VRR system into activating below its 40Hz threshold.
Which games use this VRR workaround?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws both use Ubisoft’s VRR workaround on Switch 2. The technology is built into the Anvil Engine and will be used for future Ubisoft titles on the platform.
Will other developers get access to this technology?
Ubisoft confirmed they’re working with Nintendo to improve VRR support going forward, suggesting the workaround could become available system-wide through future software updates. This would allow all developers to use VRR for 30fps games.
Does the VRR workaround hurt visual quality?
No. The technique maintains the same visual quality as standard 30fps rendering. It only changes how frames are presented to the display hardware, not how they’re rendered. Both Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws have been praised for smooth performance using this method.
What other Switch 2 specs support performance?
The Switch 2 features a 1080p display (up from 720p), HDR10 support, VRR up to 120Hz, and significantly more powerful internals compared to the original Switch. These specs enable much better third-party AAA game ports.
Why does 30fps VRR matter for Switch 2?
Many demanding AAA games can’t hit 40fps consistently on Switch 2 without major visual downgrades, so they target 30fps instead. Without VRR support at 30fps, these games experience screen tearing and judder that make them feel worse than they should.
When will this VRR improvement roll out?
Nintendo hasn’t announced a timeline for implementing Ubisoft’s VRR improvements system-wide. The companies are currently working together on the collaboration, suggesting it could arrive in a future Switch 2 system software update.
Conclusion
Ubisoft’s VRR breakthrough represents exactly the kind of technical innovation Nintendo platforms need to compete for AAA third-party support. By solving the 30fps VRR limitation and working with Nintendo to implement it system-wide, Ubisoft potentially unlocked smoother performance for every demanding game on Switch 2. This collaboration benefits everyone from developers to players, making the hybrid console more viable for ports that would otherwise struggle with screen tearing and judder. Whether Nintendo fully implements this at the OS level remains to be seen, but Ubisoft’s commitment to the platform and willingness to share their engineering solutions shows how much they believe in Switch 2’s long-term potential. For players, it means better-performing games. For developers, it means more reasons to bring their titles to Nintendo’s latest hardware. That’s a win no matter how you look at it.