Some compromises seem to have been made for the Nintendo Switch 2, but perhaps they went too far.
On February 21, 2023, Microsoft and Nintendo signed a 10-year binding agreement for the release of the Call of Duty series on Nintendo platforms, provided that Microsoft successfully completed its acquisition of Activision. This happened a while ago, but until the release of Modern Warfare 4, no Call of Duty game had been released on the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. The pre-order beta is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC but not yet on the Switch 2. Some players have had the chance to try the Nintendo version and have shared footage and impressions ahead of the public beta. It’s clear that frame rate was prioritized over resolution. The game reportedly aims for 60 FPS and mostly achieves it when docked, though it drops during more action-packed moments (e.g., when multiple players crowd into a tight space). Stuttering still occurs during the busiest moments, and the base resolution isn’t great either.
There is significant visual distortion around character models, weapons, and buildings, which worsens when the camera moves or the player sprints. An Activision representative confirmed on the beta’s official Discord channel that the Switch 2 version uses the console’s built-in DLSS upscaler. We have never seen such a poor-quality DLSS implementation. The drop in graphical quality appears to be even more drastic than in typical third-party ports for the Switch 2. The gameplay experience improved somewhat in handheld mode. The resolution shortcomings are much less noticeable due to the smaller screen size. The frame rate also seemed smoother. However, it’s unclear whether this improvement is due to the Switch 2’s support for variable refresh rate (VRR).
For handheld gameplay specifically, the limited range of motion of the Joy-Con’s joystick was highlighted as a significant drawback in terms of aiming accuracy in a fast-paced shooter. Therefore, the use of the Pro Controller was recommended, even when docked. Mouse mode seems adequate, thanks to the game’s frame rate. However, at lower resolutions, it’s difficult to distinguish distant enemies from the background, which could pose a problem during sniper gameplay. Hopefully, there will be a resolution/quality toggle similar to the performance and quality modes on other consoles that would trade frame rate for sharper image quality.
One of the videos below shows that they were able to access a campaign mission for a short time after the official beta testing period had technically ended—one that was likely not yet intended for public release. Performance was noticeably weaker there; frequent stuttering further degraded the already low resolution on a larger, AI-intensive level. The game appears to be aimed more at 30 FPS than the 60 FPS of multiplayer. In exchange for the lower frame rate, the picture is visibly cleaner with fewer artifacts than in online modes.
Whether the developers will retain cross-play support in the final game remains to be seen, as the Switch 2 version’s lower resolution and reduced detail on distant enemy models clearly puts players at a competitive disadvantage against those on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, who also have access to higher frame rate caps, including 120 Hz modes unavailable on the Switch 2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is set to release on October 23, 2026.
Source: WCCFTech, Switch-Actu
