Key Highlights:
- Baldur’s Gate 3 could be heading to the Nintendo Switch 2.
- While the Switch 2 can most certainly run the game, there are concerns about its performance.
- The Steam Deck has issues with Act 3 of the game, and it is in the same ballpark as the Switch 2 in terms of raw performance.
The Nintendo Switch 2 took the gaming world by storm when it was first released back in June, 2025. Nintendo marketed the system as being more friendly toward third party developers, going on to showcase many games during its events from reputed publishers like Capcom, Gearbox Software and more.
Now, a recent rumor seems to suggest that Baldur’s Gate 3 might be heading over to Nintendo’s newest handheld. Whether the handheld can keep up with the game’s more poorly performing areas though, remains up for speculation.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Rumored to Be Releasing for the Nintendo Switch 2
As per leaker NateTheHate, there have been rumours along the grapevine regarding a port of Baldur’s Gate 3 for the Nintendo Switch 2. Most notably, he did mention that more verification was required before he could validate the claim (and thereby share more information).
No update on RDR2. Have heard something on BG3 for SW2 but need more verification on it before I can share.
— NateTheHate2 (@NateTheHate2) October 20, 2025
This means that you should treat it as a rumor, and not something that is set in stone. That being said, this could very well turn out to be true – NateTheHate has been known to drop cryptic clues of upcoming releases from time to time.
Regardless, the fact that 2023’s Game of the Year winner might be making its way to the Nintendo Switch 2 is quite exciting news. More players will have access to the game, and having another portable option (that doesn’t involve handheld gaming PCs) is a pretty good development.
Hopefully, that Nintendo Switch 2 port has a physical version that includes the entire game on the cartridge.
The Switch 2 Is a Very Capable Machine, but Act 3 Might Be Problematic
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a deceptively well performing title. The game runs perfectly fine for the most part, until you enter Act 3, that is. Act 3 is where the average frame rate takes a nosedive, on account of the game rendering way more complex environments, among other gameplay quirks.
This isn’t a major issue if you have a decently powerful PC, or if you are playing on current gen home consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (not the Series S, though!).
Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch 2 pales in comparison to modern PC hardware, certain handhelds (most notably with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme and newer), and of course, home consoles such as the PS5.
The Switch 2 is simply not powerful enough, even in docked mode, to compare to this class of hardware. This is by design, given that the Switch 2 is a handheld, and the only way to achieve that kind of performance is by making the device a lot more bulky, and a whole lot more expensive.
Also Read: You Can Never Play Borderlands 4 on Switch 2, Here’s Why
Baldur’s Gate 3 is tough to run on a handheld, and the game drops into the 20 frames per second territory on Valve’s Steam Deck (during Act 3), which is arguably the most popular handheld PC device at the moment.
Given how close the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2 are in terms of performance, it does make you worry how well Baldur’s Gate 3 will perform. Yes, the Switch 2 can outperform the Steam Deck in certain cases, but with 4 fewer gigabytes of RAM it might be a tough sell.
Not to mention the fact that no amount of DLSS wizardry and frame generation can mask erratic frame rate drops, which are expected to be a common occurrence (on account of there being low memory).
That being said, there have been quite a few ‘miracle ports’ for the system, and I’d be happy to be proven wrong.
