Stellar Blade adds frame generation toggle for Switch 2 launch

Shift Up will add an option to disable frame generation in the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade when it launches on November 5. The change follows feedback from players who tried the recently released Stellar Blade: Complete Edition demo.

Frame generation is currently enabled at all times in the demo. Shift Up said it has been monitoring player feedback and decided to make the technology optional in the full release, giving players more control over how the game looks and feels.

The Switch 2 port uses an unusual combination of Nvidia and AMD technology to reach its performance target. Shift Up CTO and technical director DongKi Lee previously explained that the game uses Nvidia DLSS for upscaling before applying AMD FSR 3.1 frame interpolation.

The game runs from a 30fps base, with interpolation generating additional frames to create a 60fps presentation. Shift Up is targeting 60fps in both handheld and docked modes, with an upscaled 1080p image while docked and 720p in handheld mode.

Frame generation can make motion appear smoother, but generated frames do not increase the underlying simulation rate. The technique can also introduce additional latency or visual artifacts, which is particularly noticeable in a game such as Stellar Blade, where parries and dodges depend on quick reactions.

Players testing the Switch 2 demo are currently unable to compare the interpolated presentation with the game's base performance because frame generation is mandatory. Shift Up's new toggle will change that in the final version. 

Players who prefer the smoother 60fps-style presentation will be able to leave frame generation enabled, while those who prefer the underlying output without generated frames can switch it off. The developer has not yet detailed exactly how resolution or other graphics settings will behave when frame generation is disabled, so the final trade-offs will only become clear closer to release.

Stellar Blade: Complete Edition will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5 for $59.99. Nintendo lists the game at roughly 25 GB, with support for handheld, tabletop and TV play.

The Switch 2 release brings Shift Up's action RPG to a third platform following its original PlayStation 5 launch and subsequent PC release. The Complete Edition includes the base game and previously released additional content.

The demo remains available ahead of launch, but its forced frame-generation setup will not fully represent the options available in the finished version. When the complete game arrives in November, Switch 2 players will be able to decide whether the smoother interpolated presentation is worth keeping enabled.