Skyrim once again has been re-released, this time landing on Nintendo Switch 2 in the form of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, and fans are already frustrated. This “next‑gen upgrade” for the legendary RPG has turned out to be more of a headache than a triumph. It is familiar, yet broken in new ways, and for players who hoped for a polished portable experience, it feels like déjà vu with a few new headaches sprinkled in. The anticipation that comes with a new release quickly turned into disappointment for many.
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The Anniversary Edition promised sharper visuals and faster load times. It offered mouse and motion controls through Joy‑Con 2 and included all DLC and Creation Club content. In practice, players have found the experience sluggish and awkward. Input lag makes combat feel disconnected. The game remains locked at 30 frames per second, making movements feel slow and stiff. Crashes are common, interrupting exploration at the worst possible moments. To top this all off, the install alone takes up 53 gigabytes, which is a great demand for anyone hoping to download quickly and jump in on a handheld platform.
One Reddit user captured the frustration perfectly: “Not only are the visuals only marginally better and the framerate still 30fps … there’s nearly a full second of delay after each input.”
Another player highlighted just how noticeable the lag can be: “Skyrim’s Switch 2 edition still has a full quarter second of lag (if not more) between your input and the screen actually updating.”
And someone summed up the overall mood sufficiently: “So the Switch 2 upgrade for Skyrim just dropped, and it is a disaster.”
The framerate issue is especially glaring given the Switch 2’s improved hardware. As mentioned, the game reportedly refuses to go beyond 30 FPS, which is shocking for a game made in 2011. Handheld mode reportedly feels worse than the original Switch version, leaving players questioning why they even bothered to upgrade in the first place. Videos from fans show noticeable delays between pressing a button and seeing the action on-screen. For a game built on precision and timing, delays like this are impossible to ignore for anyone looking to take the game seriously.
Even players who received the upgrade for free are disappointed. Accordingly, the Switch 2 port does not feel like a net improvement. It is a reminder that not every classic deserves a modern re-release, especially when technical polish is so obviously missing from the release product. Now, fans are waiting to see if Bethesda will patch input lag, unlock higher frame rates, and/or add mod support. There is some justification for this.
When Skyrim was released for the original Nintendo Switch, it also had significant technical issues, among other problems. These issues were eventually patched out by Bethesda, leaving many hoping that the publisher does the same once more. Until then, a polished, portable Skyrim on Switch 2 remains out of reach, leaving players with little more than frustration and nostalgia for the game at its best.
This release shows how even beloved games can stumble when rushed to new hardware. It is a cautionary tale for anyone hoping that nostalgia alone can carry a port. For those expecting a smooth, definitive version, this release is a bitter reminder that some classics are best left alone or at least handled with far more care. Skyrim on Switch 2 is a lesson in ambition clashing with execution.
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Image courtesy of Netflix -
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Image courtesy of Bethesda
