Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition's file size raises the bar for upgrades

When it comes to Switch 2 upgrades, the file size doesn't necessarily guarantee anything specific about a game, but Xenoblade Chronicles 2s upcoming Switch 2 release is already pulling in some unprecedented numbers in that regard. According to Nintendo's own numbers, the Switch 2 release is off Xenoblade Chronicles 2 estimates it at 45.8GB, compared to just 13.2GB for the original Switch release, meaning the upgrade adds more than double the amount of data the entire original Switch game required. That increase might not seem like much to write home about in itself, but compared to other Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades, it's actually one of the console's biggest, strictly from a file size perspective.

Of course, it's worth mentioning that the increased size could come from higher-resolution assets, improved cutscenes, new content, or any number of technical changes, so they shouldn't be treated as an automatic indicator of the game's quality. Still, Xenoblade Chronicles 2The dramatic increase brings with it expectations that this particular Switch 2 upgrade will be much more than a basic resolution and frame rate boost. Rather, if the upgraded version of one of Nintendo's most popular JRPGs actually reflects the size of the download, it could raise the bar for what Nintendo's Switch 2 Editions can deliver.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is currently the biggest of the Switch 2 upgrades

When examining Nintendo's current lineup of Switch 2 Editions, Xenoblade Chronicles 2The 32.6GB increase is the biggest of the bunch. It even edges out Xenoblade Chronicles 3which gets 28.2GB with its own upgrade, while most other Nintendo games fall well below those numbers. The comparison below makes it clear Xenoblade Chronicles 2 not only gets a bigger than average upgrade, but from a file size perspective it currently sets the standard that all other Switch 2 releases must now consider moving forward with.

What's particularly interesting about Nintendo's history with Switch 2 upgrades is that apart from Kirby and the Forgotten Landall three Xenoblade Chronicles game has seen much larger increases in file size than any other game's Switch 2 release to date. And what is perhaps even more worth mentioning is the fact that Xenoblade Chronicles 2The Switch 2 release has an even bigger increase in file size than its successor, Xenoblade Chronicles 3has its own Switch 2 edition. It is clear that Monolith Soft seems to provide Xenoblade Chronicles a much heavier asset overhaul than Nintendo's typical Switch 2 upgrade, for one thing, but it also quietly raises the bar for upgrades on the console, even before its release.

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One could argue that the increased file size is simply to do with the size of the original game itself, especially when it comes to Xenoblade Chronicles 2s fairly substantial open world. However, both Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The tears of the kingdom boast of larger worlds than Xenoblade Chronicles 2and yet the increase is considerably greater.

Another argument may be about Xenoblade Chronicles 2s age. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 launched in 2017, during the Switch's first year, so it built around the hardware's limitations earlier than most other games that received Switch 2 Editions. In other words, it has more obvious room for higher-resolution assets, sharper cutscenes, and other visual substitutions than a newer version can. But the numbers don't show a clean relationship between age and upgrade size, especially when comparing Xenoblade Chronicles 2s file size increases to that of the third entry. If age is the determining factor, Xenoblade Chronicles 3s file size increase with its own Switch 2 release shouldn't be as large as it is, since it's the newer title.

All that said, there's definitely something unique about it Xenoblade Chronicles 2s Switch 2 release, to the point where it's realistic to expect a significant upgrade in graphics, performance, and gameplay that players weren't even treated to with upgrade games that Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The tears of the kingdomboth of which have been praised for their renewed vigor on the Switch 2. It's practically guaranteed to perform significantly better than the original game, but it could take things even further than what gamers have seen in any other Switch 2 upgrade to date.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2's Switch 2 Edition has plenty in store for new and returning players

Many of these upgrades and additions have of course already been confirmed by Monolith Soft, but seeing them in action will be a whole other story. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was already an ambitious game on the original Switch, but its image quality and performance often struggled to keep up with the scale of its environments, battles, and cutscenes. Between the jump to 4K and 60 FPS, the sharper presentation, and the new game content being added, the Switch 2 Edition has a real opportunity to finally deliver the version of the game that the original hardware just couldn't fully support.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition Features

• 4K RESOLUTION in docked/TV mode.
• FULL HD RESOLUTION in handheld mode.
• 60 FPS performance across the board.
• SMOOTH AND SHARP CUTTING during gameplay.
• NEW RARE SHEET and a Blade quest to accompany it.
• NEW ACTION BATTLE MODE involving mercenary stock.
• NEW EQUIPMENT DESIGN for Pyra and Mythra.

The thing is, none of these features guarantee that everyone Xenoblade Chronicles 2s extra 32.6 GB will result in something that players can immediately see or feel. But even so, the stark difference between this release and most other Switch 2 upgrades makes it hard to see it as another routine tech update. Should Monolith Soft deliver on everything promised, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 could become the example that Nintendo points to when proving how much a Switch 2 Edition can really improve an older game.

System

Released

December 1, 2017

ESRB

T for teens due to language, suggestive themes, use of alcohol and tobacco, violence

Publisher

Nintendo

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