Digital Foundry has raised concerns about the image quality of Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, describing the visual presentation as unusually flawed despite the upgrade to 60 FPS. The issues were discussed in detail during a recent podcast, where the team examined the technical implementation behind the enhanced release.
According to the analysis, while the game now runs at 60fps in both docked and handheld modes, the image reconstruction appears compromised. The presentation reportedly resembles older AI upscaling methods rather than a clean resolution increase. At a glance, still images can appear sharp. However, during motion, interior surface details reportedly smear in a manner compared to an oil painting effect. Thin objects such as cables and power lines are said to exhibit distortion, appearing warped instead of straight.
The team noted that game properties indicate the use of SMAA, though the final result does not align with typical SMAA output. In both portable and docked configurations, the game does not present as a clear 1080p image. Instead, it appears to operate at a lower internal resolution before being reconstructed. Even on the portable display, where pixel density is higher, the smeared artifacts remain visible.
Digital Foundry speculated that the implementation may resemble lightweight machine learning upscaling rather than a full DLSS integration. While Nintendo Switch 2 supports DLSS, the podcast discussion suggested that properly integrating it would require additional development work. Instead, the chosen solution may function more like a post-process upscaler, with visual characteristics likened to older real-time AI solutions seen on lower-powered devices.
Despite these criticisms, the move to 60fps was acknowledged as a meaningful improvement in responsiveness and gameplay feel. It marks the first time Xenoblade Chronicles X has achieved that performance level on a Switch platform in an official capacity. However, the visual compromises were described as significant enough to warrant caution.
In summary, while the performance boost is clear and tangible, the expected improvement in image clarity has not materialized in the way some had anticipated. Digital Foundry expressed hope that future updates could address the reconstruction issues and refine the overall presentation.
