If you were hoping for a high-frame-rate experience for Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Nintendo Switch 2, you might want to adjust your expectations. In a recent interview, Aspyr’s producer manager Anna Grant and senior game producer Kay Gilmore confirmed that the team was unable to get the title running at 60fps.
According to the development team, they dedicated months of work attempting to reach that performance target. However, they ultimately decided against it to avoid the kind of negative feedback they received regarding the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition release, where visual fidelity was sacrificed in favor of performance.
The Hardware Challenge
The primary hurdle, according to Aspyr, is the game's technical demand. Despite the age of the title, the developers explained that Rise of the Tomb Raider is a “much more GPU heavy game” than the previous entry. Attempting to force a 60fps target would have necessitated “serious compromises” that the team felt would have frustrated players.
“We heard players’ feedback on the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition release regarding the sacrifice of visual fidelity in favor of better performance, so we wanted to make sure Rise of the Tomb Raider was the best version of the game we could possibly get on Switch 2,” the producers stated.
Given these comments, it seems unlikely that a 60fps mode will be patched into the game at a later date. Aspyr's stance suggests that the current build is optimized to prioritize the intended visual quality over a higher frame rate.
Looking Ahead
This news follows earlier reports from Digital Foundry, which were critical of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition ports on the Switch 2, labeling them as “remarkably iffy.” Aspyr has been navigating a challenging rollout for the series on the platform, and this latest clarification sets clear boundaries for what players can expect from the sequel’s performance on Nintendo's hardware.
While fans have previously asked about the possibility of seeing Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the system as well, the development team is currently focused on ensuring the existing Rise of the Tomb Raider release provides the most stable and visually consistent experience possible.