Xenoblade Chronicles X may have a hidden Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade
A 60fps mode hidden in the files might point to more performance on Nintendo's upcoming hybrid console
👀 There’s a hidden 60fps mode in the files for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
🤔 The mode currently isn't operational, and running it apparently causes issues
👏 It might point to boosted performance on the Nintendo Switch 2
🔜 We aren't far away from more Switch 2 news, with Nintendo's announcement less than two weeks away
The latest Xenoblade Chronicles title, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, features a 60fps mode in the game's executable file that could pave the way for a future upgraded version on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Discovered by modder MasaGrator (thanks, Wccftech), the mode isn't operational and enabling it causes issues. It may be something left over from development, although it's more likely a code that could have potential use on the Nintendo Switch 2.
A subsequent patch for the title may see the 60fps mode properly implemented for Nintendo’s upcoming console, offering a smoother experience than is currently possible on the original Switch, which was first released over eight years ago.
A 60fps upgrade wouldn't be unheard of, as we've seen generational upgrades to existing titles to take advantage of new consoles’ increased power. Rockstar has released enhanced editions of GTA 5 across three different console generations, and each one came with their own improvements that made full use of the Xbox One and PS4 and later the Xbox Series X|S and PS5.
In other instances, games for Xbox One have been enhanced via a free update, while Sony has largely put its upgrades behind a paywalled Definitive Edition or Director's Cut version. However, there are a few PS4 games that run better on PS5.
It remains to be seen what route Nintendo will take when it comes to updating older titles for Switch 2. We're expecting to hear more about Nintendo's upcoming console on April 2, after an initial teaser in mid-January 2025, with a potential release date that's just under two months away.
The Switch 2 comes with a larger, 8-inch touchscreen, as well as magnetic Joy-Con controllers. The Nintendo Switch 2 is also backwards compatible with original Switch games, which includes Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition and many other titles.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.
