Switch Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Switch 2 Port – Challenges according to Director Naoki Hamaguchi

[Dany28]

Naoki Hamaguchi the director of Final Fantasy 7 Remake recently spoke about the special challenges of adapting the game for the Nintendo Switch 2. A key goal of Square Enix was to deliver strong performance in handheld mode without compromising on quality.

Presentation at Gamescom and PAX West​

Hamaguchi reported in an interview with Nintendo Everything and said: We showed the game on the Switch 2 at gamescom and PAX West, and the feedback was very encouraging. One of the biggest challenges was power consumption—we had to ensure we could deliver strong performance in handheld mode without sacrificing quality. The engineers worked intensively on rendering optimizations to best reproduce the high-quality graphics of the PlayStation version.

Important details: character expressions and lighting​

Hamaguchi said: We looked at how we did it on PS5 and then adjusted it with post-effects and fog on Switch 2 to bring out the emotional moments while maintaining stable performance. Another focus is according to Hamaguchi was on visual details and character expressions. Lighting was particularly crucial in handheld mode.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will be released for Nintendo Switch 2 on January 22, 2026.

 

[MasterEn]

is it just me, or did the switch 2 version look clearer and more colorful than the ps5 version?

 

[Jayonnaise6105 Jayonnaise6105]

It'll be interesting to see how it goes on release! Rebirth would have to be an even greater challenge to get running on Switch 2

 

[Dany28]

Honestly, I'm grateful that they're doing this because they don't have to. I hope that Rebirth will also be released.

 

[revck]

Honestly, I'm grateful that they're doing this because they don't have to. I hope that Rebirth will also be released.

Same thought, very glad too that there's more FF coming to N's

 

[qw90700]

If Switch 2 will have storage or something issue they can always delete tons of rubbish unnecessary content from the game like 1 hour talk with your landlord that you wouldn't wanna do in real life (but they believe it's what you buy games for lol) and then the main mission "find cats in the whole huge AF area"!!! lolol

 

[Jayonnaise6105 Jayonnaise6105]

If Switch 2 will have storage or something issue they can always delete tons of rubbish unnecessary content from the game like 1 hour talk with your landlord that you wouldn't wanna do in real life (but they believe it's what you buy games for lol) and then the main mission "find cats in the whole huge AF area"!!! lolol

I did see this is a 90GB game on Switch 2, and is only a game key card or digital download. So, you will need to dedicate like a third of the Switch 2's default storage for this no matter what.

That's more my issue with Nintendo and not the game itself, though

 

[qw90700]

I did see this is a 90GB game on Switch 2, and is only a game key card or digital download. So, you will need to dedicate like a third of the Switch 2's default storage for this no matter what.

That's more my issue with Nintendo and not the game itself, though

Daaaaaamnnnn, then I think they need to reduce size of the game a lot but IDK how they can keep this up considering the game is made of 3 parts. Then Nintendo can come up with this idea:

So the game has part 2 that is also huge AF but at least some of the assets are same assets as part 1. So my idea is imagine you can insert game cartridge of part 2 into part 1 so part 2 using assets from part 1 and thus you save space + this can enable additional hardware power if Switch 2 suck ass about it. It's costy but very useful idea!!!

*he goes to Nintendo to sell this idea but they sue him* lolol

 

[Dany28]

is it just me, or did the switch 2 version look clearer and more colorful than the ps5 version?

Yeah, it look good.

 

[revck]

I did see this is a 90GB game on Switch 2, and is only a game key card or digital download. So, you will need to dedicate like a third of the Switch 2's default storage for this no matter what.

That's more my issue with Nintendo and not the game itself, though

"Game key card or digital download" ... where are we getting to ... please stop this physical massacre game devs

 

[Zerpina]

Well, whip out another 120+ Dollerydoos for the 512 <Or 256 i dunno which it can use don't care> GB microSD Express card for your Switch 2.

I am honestly surprised that Nintendo still lets the end user use standard storage mediums like SD type cards, and didn't pull a Sony with the proprietary Memory Stick Duo stuff with the PSP/Vita

 

[sneakyguts]

game key card

 

[qw90700]

is it just me, or did the switch 2 version look clearer and more colorful than the ps5 version?

Beyond how Youtube fucks up "quality" of the video regardless quality options I noticed Switch 2 version has lower contrast ratio but it didn't dimish light level at all, they probably basically ensured decent balance of lower contrast -> more vibrant colors -> higher light level -> not too low black level

PS5 version looks higher contrast ratio -> saturation and vibrance is lower -> light levels are probably lower -> black levels possibly higher.

It may be subtle difference but more noticable in dark areas and shadow to light differences.

Edit: Very obvious here:

You can even notice her clothes and his hair has saturation difference, Switch 2 one has more emphasised colors.

 

[Zerpina]

game key card

And that's another thing....

When the Switch 2 store eventually gets the plug pulled, and you know it will, unless you have a backup of your games or have lost the key cards, well, I guess you're just Shit out of luck. Oh, I'm sure Nintendo will gladly resell it to you at full price again, no doubt. This basically is killing the resell market too. I assume once the key card is used, that's it's locked to that account with no way to get the game on another system, even if you remove it from your account.

They are just selling you digital download codes, that's all. Thanks, I'll stick to not buying into Nintendo's shit.

Though it's not just them... all companies are going full digital, so you can't lay the hate and blame solely on Nintendo.
It's a money-saving cost for them, even though they still charge out the wazoo for their mediocre games.

 

[Jayonnaise6105 Jayonnaise6105]

Well, whip out another 120+ Dollerydoos for the 512 <Or 256 i dunno which it can use don't care> GB microSD Express card for your Switch 2.
View attachment 114424

I am honestly surprised that Nintendo still lets the end user use standard storage mediums like SD type cards, and didn't pull a Sony with the proprietary Memory Stick Duo stuff with the PSP/Vita
View attachment 114423

I mean, not proprietary per se but you do need some fancy shmancy new SD card for the Switch 2. I couldn't use the Knuckles the Echidna SD card I have in my current Switch, for example

 

[Dany28]

The price here is already good only €49.95 at Media Markt and Saturn but on the Nintendo website it will cost €69.95

 

[MasterEn]

Beyond how Youtube fucks up "quality" of the video regardless quality options I noticed Switch 2 version has lower contrast ratio but it didn't dimish light level at all, they probably basically ensured decent balance of lower contrast -> more vibrant colors -> higher light level -> not too low black level

PS5 version looks higher contrast ratio -> saturation and vibrance is lower -> light levels are probably lower -> black levels possibly higher.

It may be subtle difference but more noticable in dark areas and shadow to light differences.

Edit: Very obvious here:

View attachment 114427

You can even notice her clothes and his hair has saturation difference, Switch 2 one has more emphasised colors.

yeah, i noticed that in the side by side comparison part of the video. the small adjustments made the switch version look better.

 

[Zerpina]

I mean, not proprietary per se but you do need some fancy shmancy new SD card for the Switch 2. I couldn't use the Knuckles the Echidna SD card I have in my current Switch, for example

Right I get that. But it's not like Sony, and you have to buy it directly from Nintendo.

It's becoming a more standard storage medium. So, points to Nintendo on that. 1 point anyhow for not being a total shit company like Sony was again with their MSD cards.

In all honesty, Nintendo probably just didn't think of it at the time.