Bethesda Explains How Oblivion Remastered Runs on Switch 2 Cartridge

Bethesda’s team has explained what it took to bring The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered to Nintendo Switch 2 on cartridge—despite the new console’s still-meaningful performance gap versus PS5 and Xbox Series X|S—highlighting optimization work built around Switch 2’s unique controls and hardware features.

Why Switch 2 needed more than “more power”

In an interview, Dan Lee, associate creative director at Bethesda, addressed the technical hurdles of porting Oblivion Remastered to Switch 2, which launched on August 11. Lee stressed that while Switch 2 represents a major step up from the original Switch, it does not fully match the performance headroom available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The studio therefore had to close that gap through careful optimization rather than relying on raw hardware alone.

Lee also singled out how the port leveraged Switch 2-specific capabilities. He pointed to the importance of designing around features such as gyro controls and mouse support, describing the project as “real work” to take advantage of the system’s strengths.

Unreal Engine 5 open world—and the team behind the port

On the visual side, Lee said the Switch 2 version represents a notable benchmark: he believes it is the first open-world game using Unreal Engine 5 on Switch 2. That created a clear question for the team—how developers managed to make it work on the platform—leading to intensive technical effort.

Lee credits the push to keep the whole build on target with the studio’s internal technical direction, specifically naming JD as the studio’s technical director who led the work to make everything fit and perform. He also noted that Virtuos handled the artistic translation, having previously developed the remaster on other platforms.

Cartridge commitment, plus the small performance caveat

Feedback around the Switch 2 release suggests the port is broadly well-received, with one recurring issue: occasional framerate drops reported in very open areas. Still, the headline achievement for Bethesda’s leadership is that the remaster ships entirely on a physical cartridge—at a time when many publishers increasingly rely on download-first workflows even when offering “physical” products.

Lee said the decision reflects his personal stance on physical media and preservation. Tom Mustaine, studio director, added that the team repeatedly adjusted and refined the experience until it reached a satisfying feel, culminating in the goal of fitting it onto cartridge: “Now, put it on cartridge!”

What to watch next

• Whether Bethesda/Virtuos address the reported framerate dips in the most open environments
• How future Unreal Engine 5 open-world ports will approach Switch 2 feature support like gyro controls and mouse input
• Ongoing details on cartridge performance targets as players explore larger areas