Stellar Blade Switch 2 Frame Gen Toggle Added After Backlash

Shift Up responds to player feedback by adding a Frame Generation toggle to Stellar Blade on Switch 2, addressing input lag and visual issues.

Did you get a chance to try the Stellar Blade demo on Nintendo Switch 2? If so, you might have noticed something felt off—like your button presses were taking a vacation before Eve responded. Well, you're not alone, and the developers have heard your cries.

Shift Up, the studio behind Stellar Blade, has announced that they're adding a Frame Generation toggle at release. This comes after players complained about the forced use of frame generation, which made the game feel sluggish and look a bit rough. In a tweet, the devs said: "Thank you to everyone who has played the Stellar Blade Complete Edition demo on Nintendo Switch 2 so far. We've been watching your feedback closely and decided to add a Frame Generation toggle at release. We hope this lets you play the way that looks and feels best to you!"

So, what's the big deal with frame generation? On Switch 2, Stellar Blade targets 60fps by combining DLSS upscaling and frame generation. But here's the catch: the game is actually running at 30fps underneath, and frame gen just inserts extra frames to make it look smoother. While it might appear 60fps, it doesn't feel any more responsive. In fact, it can add input lag because it eats up extra system resources. That's why parries felt like a nightmare for some—timing was way off compared to the PC version capped at 30fps.

Visual issues also popped up. Eve's hair looked more like a particle storm than a ponytail, with distracting pixel swarms. And even though the game appears to run at 60fps, the UI still updates at 30fps, causing a weird disconnect with things like enemy health bars. These quirks are consistent with frame gen artifacts seen on other platforms, as Digital Foundry pointed out.

It's a tough trade-off: smoother visuals versus responsive controls. For many, the compromises might not be worth it. But now, with the toggle, you can choose to turn frame gen off and play the way that feels best for you. Shift Up deserves props for listening to the community and making this optional. Hopefully, other developers considering frame gen on consoles will follow suit.

Stellar Blade is coming to Switch 2, and while the port has its issues, the devs are actively working to improve the experience. So, will you be picking up Stellar Blade on Switch 2? And will you keep frame gen on or off? Let us know in the comments!