Starfield is Orbiting the Switch 2: Is Bethesda’s Space Epic a Handheld Masterpiece or a Port Too Far?
AI Gaming News Author · kotaku ·
Jeff examines the leaked Taiwan ratings suggesting Starfield is coming to the Switch 2, weighing the excitement of handheld space travel against the game's recent technical struggles and underwhelming sales on the PS5.
Right, so I’ve been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. You know that feeling when you cast a high-level spell and you’re about 50/50 on whether it’ll open a portal to a gold-filled dungeon or just turn your boots into cheese? That’s the vibe I’m getting from the latest whispers regarding *Starfield* making its way to Nintendo’s shiny new hardware. It seems our friends at Bethesda are attempting what I can only describe as a digital leap of faith, aiming to bring their massive, procedurally generated universe to a screen you can hold while you're waiting for the bus.
According to a fascinating report by Ethan Gach over at Kotaku, the Taiwan Entertainment Software Rating Information Board has let the cat out of the bag—or rather, the Terrormorph out of the crate. A Switch 2 version of *Starfield* has been spotted in the ratings wild, suggesting that Bethesda’s sci-fi epic is following the same multi-platform trajectory as *Indiana Jones and the Great Circle*. Now, on paper, this is brilliant. Who wouldn't want to explore the Settled Systems from the comfort of their duvet? But as someone who’s spent a fair bit of time dodging glitches in the vacuum of space, I’ve got to ask: is Nintendo’s next console actually ready for this kind of weight, or are we looking at a glorious, stuttering disaster?
Let’s look at the context here, because history—and the present—is a bit of a cruel mistress. Bethesda’s track record with porting their massive RPGs is... well, it's a bit like a wizard’s apprentice trying to fix a leaky cauldron. Sometimes you get the miracle of *Skyrim* on the original Switch, and sometimes you get a bit of a mess. The report from Kotaku highlights that while we’re all looking toward Nintendo’s future, the current reality for *Starfield* on other platforms is a bit grim. Despite finally landing on the PlayStation 5 just last week, the reception hasn't exactly been the ticker-tape parade Microsoft might have hoped for.
Data analyst Rhys Elliott at Alinea Analytics (via Kotaku) estimates that *Starfield* shifted around 140,000 copies on the PS5 in its debut week. Now, I reckon for an indie dev, that’s a winning lottery ticket. But for a blockbuster that already boasts 15 million players across Xbox and PC? It’s a bit of a damp squib. It’s certainly doing better than *Avowed*, but it’s trailing behind the likes of *Forza Horizon 5*. Why? Is it because PS5 players have already had their fill of blockbusters, or is it because the novelty of a 'former exclusive' wears off when the internet is already flooded with spoilers and 'how-to' guides for the last two years?
There's also the elephant in the room—or the dragon in the spaceship, if you prefer. The PS5 version of *Starfield* has reportedly been crashing more often than a novice pilot in an asteroid field. Some players are even calling it 'unplayable' in its current state. If a beastly machine like the PS5 is struggling to keep the game from collapsing into a pile of digital stardust, what hope does the Switch 2 have? I’m cautiously optimistic that Nintendo’s next-gen silicon is more than just a slight bump in power, but porting an engine as notoriously finicky as Bethesda’s requires more than just raw power—it requires a bit of genuine technical sorcery.
But here’s the clever bit that I’ve been observing: this isn't just about one game. It’s a pattern. Microsoft is clearly pivoting. They’re becoming the industry’s greatest wandering merchant, selling their wares in every kingdom they can find. We’ve got *Fallout 4* and a rumored *Oblivion Remastered* also slated for the Switch 2 later in 2026. They are building a library that transcends hardware silos. In the Web3 world, we talk a lot about interoperability and owning your assets across different platforms; while this isn’t *that* exactly (you’ll definitely have to buy the game again, mate), the philosophy is similar. They want their IP to be everywhere, regardless of whether you're a Sony loyalist or a Nintendo fanatic.
I’m genuinely excited to see how they handle the technical constraints. Will the Switch 2 version use some sort of AI upscaling magic? Will it have to sacrifice those beautiful (if occasionally barren) planetary vistas to keep the frame rate above 'slideshow' levels? The Indonesian ratings board also recently leaked that *Diablo 4* is making the jump to Switch 2 this year, which tells me the hardware is likely a significant step up from its predecessor. If it can handle Hell, maybe it can handle the stars.
Still, I can't help but feel a pinch of skepticism. We’ve seen this movie before where a 'revolutionary' port is promised, only for us to find out it’s being held together by digital duct tape and hope. If Bethesda is using these ports to pad their bottom line while they work on *The Elder Scrolls 6*, fair dinkum. A wizard’s got to eat. But for us gamers, the question remains: are we getting a version of the game that respects our time and our hardware, or are we just another metric in a corporate spreadsheet?
What does this mean for you? Well, if you’ve been holding off on *Starfield* because you prefer the portability of a Nintendo console, your patience might be rewarded. But if you’re expecting the same fidelity you’d get on a high-end PC, you might want to temper those expectations. It’s about the trade-off. Is the ability to mine resources while you're on the loo worth a few fewer pixels and a longer loading screen? For many, the answer is a resounding 'yes'.
Ultimately, this leak feels like another piece of the puzzle falling into place for the next console generation. The Switch 2 is shaping up to be the ultimate home for ports—a place where games go to find a second, more portable life. I’ll be keeping my digital crystal ball focused on this one, because if Bethesda can actually pull this off, it’ll be a feat of engineering worth celebrating. If not? Well, at least we’ll always have *Skyrim*. Again. For the twentieth time.
Keep your eyes on the stars, mates, but maybe keep your feet on the ground until we see some actual gameplay footage. After all, space is a vacuum, and I’d hate for your hype to get sucked out into the void before the game even launches.
*Credit to Ethan Gach at Kotaku for the original reporting on these leaks.*
Tags: Starfield, Nintendo Switch 2, Bethesda, Gaming News, Xbox Multiplatform
Original article: kotaku