Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Switch 2 is a good upgrade over the Switch port, but it should've been better

Yesterday, Bethesda announced and released The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch 2. Those who own the Switch version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition (released in 2022) can claim the Switch 2 version from the eShop for free. I own Skyrim's original physical and digital version on Switch in addition to the Anniversary Edition. If you only own the base game, you can buy the Anniversary Edition upgrade for $19.99 and you should be able to get the Switch 2 version free in-game. With that out of the way, I was curious to see how this new version of Skyrim would look and feel compared to not only the Switch version, but also PC handhelds.

I'm going to focus on the Switch and Switch 2 versions of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition here, but I will be doing a larger comparison when I've had time to revisit the game on Xbox Series X, PS4, and PS5. For my testing, I installed Skyrim's new Switch 2 Anniversary Edition and the original Switch 1 Anniversary Edition to my Switch 2 while keeping the latter on my Switch OLED. Since this is not a Switch 2 Edition release, I can have both installed at the same time on my Switch 2. 

Skyrim Anniversary Edition Switch 2 vs Switch 1 upgrade impressions

Skyrim for Switch was an impressive port back in 2017. In fact, it was the version of the game I put the most time into since I regularly ran into various problems with save files or the game in general on PS4 and Xbox One. At the time, I hadn't played much of the PC version and thought Skyrim on Switch delivered a competent and stable vanilla Skyrim experience, though it felt closer to the dozen hours I spent on Xbox 360 than the new Special Edition release on PS4 at the time. 

Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 is much closer to the Special Edition and Anniversary Edition release on current consoles rather than the original Skyrim PS3 and Xbox 360 version. This means you get the visual improvements Special Edition brought in alongside much better image quality compared to the Switch port. The improvements over Switch 1 are very noticeable when playing docked, but they are essential if you play handheld. Skyrim for Switch was a bit soft, but not bad on the original Switch. It does not hold up as well when playing on Switch 2 handheld because of how the older games are scaled. 

Thankfully, the Switch 2 Anniversary Edition looks much better both docked and handheld. I have no complaints with the image quality, but there are some issues with upscaling looking a bit off near character models during movement. I'm not sure if this is because of how the DLSS was implemented, but it was noticeable. 

Unfortunately, this new Switch 2 version has some issues and I don't mean the frame rate target that I'll get to in a bit. Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 lacks the Creation Club and mod support the other current versions of the game have. This means you only get the base game, DLC, and the Anniversary Edition content. You can't access any additional mods. This is similar to how Bethesda's classic first-person shooter ports are handled on Switch with only select mods (in this case just the Anniversary Edition content) as opposed to other consoles and PC featuring much more.

The other major issue right now is the input latency. Obviously this was going to feel worse than playing on say PS5 or Steam Deck where I can get a 60fps experience, but Skyrim Anniversary Edition's Switch 2 version feels less responsive than even the Switch 1 version played on Switch 2. I imagine this has something to do with the v-sync as well, but it needs to be addressed soon. It makes the whole experience feel worse, especially handheld. 

The final issue is the most obvious one: 30fps. I've played tons of Skyrim at 30fps but a new port to Switch 2 should not have shipped without at least a 40fps option when playing handheld at 120hz. I hope Bethesda brings in a performance mode or improves the responsiveness soon. 

One last thing to note is that Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 is a 53GB download compared to the 12.8GB for the Switch version and about 15GB for the Steam version.

Skyrim Anniversary Edition load times on Switch 2 vs Switch 1

For testing Skyrim's load times, I installed the native Switch 2 Skyrim Anniversary Edition on my Switch 2 internal storage, Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Switch 1 on my Switch 2 internal storage, and the Switch version on my Switch OLED SD card. I measured the time taken to load the title screen from the console dashboard and also the time taken to load an early game save.

Note: All load times above are in seconds. I also mashed A to speed up the process and avoid the controller warnings that show up about Joy-Con attachments.

As you can see, the Switch 2 version is a massive improvement for loading the save and generally in-game, but the initial load for the Switch 1 version on Switch 2 is the fastest. 

Is it worth upgrading to Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 from Switch 1?

If you own Skyrim Anniversary Edition already, you should claim the free upgraded version from the eShop and launch it to sync your saves over, but it has some notable issues you need to keep in mind. While the visuals and load times are big improvements over the Switch 1 version, the responsiveness is worse. This may or may not be as much of an issue to you, but I noticed it immediately. If you play handheld mostly, the visual improvements and clarity boost are even more noticeable and welcome. 

If you only own Skyrim and not the Anniversary Edition upgrade, I would wait for a discount and some patches before getting this new version. The one thing to keep in mind is when you do upgrade, if you have the base game physically and the digital Anniversary Edition upgrade, you will be able to play the new Switch 2 Skyrim Anniversary Edition without needing to use the original cartridge.

What Bethesda needs to add in Skyrim Anniversary Edition Switch 2 updates

I already covered my issues with Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 above, but the major ones Bethesda needs to address are input latency, mod support (whatever is possible), and a potential performance mode.

This should've been an easy win for Bethesda, and while I appreciate the free upgrade option for existing Anniversary Edition owners, it is disappointing that the new Switch 2 version is not a universal upgrade over the Switch 1 version while still offering a great portable experience. Right now, the best portable version as far as I'm concerned is the Steam Deck OLED and the best docked or TV experience is on PC with PS5 and then Xbox Series X as my preferred platform play order. I also hope once Skyrim for Switch 2 gets patched and improved, we see a proper physical release for it since I'm sure many would buy it to save on the 53GB install size. I know I would.