The Nintendo Switch supplies an amazingly powerful portable experience when you consider the size of the system; it's basically like having a souped-up Wii U which you can actually carry around with you, which is quite an achievement when you think about it.
However, there have been some niggles with the performance of the machine, most notably during The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. If you've put as many hours into that game as we have then you will no doubt have noticed frame-rate drops and pauses during gameplay where the screen freezes for a split-second - a jarring issue, even if it isn't quite game-breaking.
It's not just Zelda which is impacted by this problem - Nintendo Life reader JunkRabbit has written in to point out that performance issues are present in Fast RMX (resolution drops) and I Am Setsuna (frame rate fluctuations).
While some have pointed to this as being a problem with the console's power (or lack of it) we've been speaking to a third-party Switch developer - who chooses to remain anonymous - and they've informed us of a known issue with the console's Wi-Fi connection which places additional load on the processor.
JunkRabbit also confirms this is the case, and has discovered that since turning off the Wi-Fi auto-connect option in System Settings, the problems have vanished:
I remember the Digital Foundry experts to have been puzzled how some of the worst framerate issues seem to occur so randmoly, not area-specific. I believe these are not the fault of the game, but of the Switch trying to periodically auto-connect to WiFi where there is no network available. This is supposed to happen in the background, but it apparently does affect the game(s).
I actually noticed this in FAST RMX first, where I got periodical FPS drops, while everyone was always saying that it is a perfectly locked 60 FPS experience. It wasn't game breaking, but it made me curious. Driving in circles also made the periodical nature so much more apparent.
Then I also had these in Setsuna, which to me made no sense at all, especially after watching DF's comparison to the PS4 version, where they also said the Switch version was perfectly locked 30 FPS.
Having them on multiple games like that, and in none of them they made sense, got me thinking. At home I turn on WiFi only when I need it basically, so it's not always available. During the Setsuna session I checked the status LED and sure enough it was off. I then delved into the Internet settings of the Switch, found the "Auto Connect" option and turned it off, and Voilà, no more FPS issues in Setsuna and FAST RMX! And only the "usual" minor ones in BotW in very specific (foliage intensive) areas, no more heavy random ones.
You can also enable Flight Mode to disable the console's wireless connections. It's worth noting that Flight Mode doesn't work when you dock the Switch.
Our anonymous developer has confirmed that Nintendo is aware of the problem and that a fix will be included in a forthcoming firmware update.
Comments 97
System stability patch incoming no doubt.
Wait what? People turn their home wifi router off on occasion? Mine's on 24/7.
You can enable Bluetooth in flight mode, so no, the Joy Con don't need to be attached.
Wow... The fix better come soon if there is one then
I'm struggling to get wifi connection at all no matter how close to the router, all other devices are perfect all over the house, hopefully it's a stability thing and not a hardware problem
For me I had one occurrence where when killing a monster in Zelda froze up the whole Switch for a second.
I'm curious to see if Nintendo will officially admit that these issues are apparent on the system when releasing the fix
Pretty minor issue as I'm sure most people will either have their Wi-Fi always on our they can just disable it on the Switch.
Good to know that they're aware and are going to patch it though nonetheless.
In BotW, the frame rate drops were absolutely awful at times. I'm usually not one to notice this type of thing too much, but it's incredibly noticeable in areas like Korok Forest. It's so bad I don't even like going there. I'll try this out and see how it works.
That explains a lot. Hope it happens soon.
Mr. Reggie, HELP !!!
Please give us some updates to fix some issues !
@S20TEW I haven't had any problem with connection, but it's been at two bar instead of three. I haven't look when I'm next to my router but ive heard ppl complaining about that.
I have fast RMX and setsuna, cant say I have noticed any dips so far
Another +1 for Wii U.
Noticed it in Zelda but only when lots going on,RMX has been flawless.
The only Wifi issues I've had are when I'm watching a demo video of some of the games via the eshop I don't think I've ever gotten through a video without it having to buffer at least one.
I have 50 meg Fibre optic broadband at home and never have any problems with other streaming devices in the house so this is rather worrying
The only thing ive noticed is a split second pause when defeating some enimies in Zelda. Not bothered me at all though, it felt more like an eccentricity of the game rather than a bug. Plus i only noticed fps dips on The Great Plateu. Haven't seen any since leaving the first area.
Need more stables for those horses i been collecting.
My Wi-Fi issues are that the Switch has a very weak signal, VERY weak. Do you think this is related?
Can this be patched? Will my Switch connect to the internet someday?
Or should I contact Nintendo... I think I probably will.
I doubt that to be honest.
Most of BotW's frame issues happen in areas with lots of alpha effects (Foliage, Wind / Fog etc) while RMX has been pretty much flawless (Minus the game not being able to display other players properly, they always seem to be all over the place, but the game runs smoothly)
But none of my Switch games drop frames! I've seen many people say they're having issues but I've not had a single problem playing Zelda or Setsuna :/
@Marshi Wait til you get to Korok Forest... It's pretty much locked at 20 FPS.
@Neocloudzero
Iv never had over 2 and distance doesn't seem to be the issue, so with that I'm hoping it's just a patch requirement
Don't know what people are complaining about, I've had no slow sown on the switch.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
I love my wiiu best system I've had for ages but I'm loving my switch, minor things that hopefully can be fixed, 3ds had terrible online connection but now it's fine , but no need to hate on switch, yes wiiu was awesome and people need to understand that. But don't take enjoyment from people who either never had a wiiu or ;p "switched" to the new machine, we obviously all like Nintendo so why hate on one and not the others
I get framerate drops in BotW where everybody else does, but all my other games have been flawless. No problems with internet signal either, and that's on a 5GHz connection.
I've never had this issue, I only get framerate drops in BotW when I'm in the super foliage intensive areas. The game works well otherwise. But then I keep wi-fi on 24/7. I also get great speeds and connectivity across my house.
@bolt05 Its not really living in 2017 unless your Wi-Fi is on constantly.
this isn't new for low powered mobile devices. When Borderlands 2 came out for the PS Vita it was pretty well known that you could keep above 30fps by putting the device in airplane mode. I've been doing the same when playing BOTW docked. (not airplane mode, but disabling wifi) and yes it really does make a difference.
This is good to know, time to turn off my Wi-Fi and keep playing!!
Haven't had a single issue with my Switch since I opened the box. You guys are really unlucky. 8U
I guess everyone who supported the Switch at launch are beta testers.
@JunkRabbit even connected constantly to my wifi, there was a significant dps drop until i turned wifi off completely on the siwtch. The best way to test this is to play in handheld where you can turn airplane mode on fully since the joycons are hard-connected. With wifi on, the framerate stutters even in handheld 720p. Airplane mode on and i only got a few fps dips in the most dense of areas (forest areas etc)
@bolt05 Some people don't actually have a wired broadband connection and only use Wifi when they tether to their cellular connection, so that might be what he's doing.
Mine's always connected to the router, and I don't believe I've experienced drops not related to the "usual" zelda slowdowns. Then again, in RMX, things move so fast, I'm not sure I'd notice a sudden resolution drop, it's all a blur as it goes, so it might be hard to filter out normal and not-normal Zelda issues. It has me tempted to turn wifi off to test it, but I'm not sure I'd notice a difference even if it made a difference!
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Current score: Switch 37, Wii U 5.
@S20TEW I have two Airport Extreme wifi routers in my house and have had ZERO problems with the wifi on my Switch...or anything else for that matter. If your wifi router isn't ac capable, it might be time to upgrade...there's a world of difference.
@JunkRabbit Apologies, will fix!
@JunkRabbit If you're not using the controllers wirelessly, you can hold the home button down for a few minutes and turn on airplane mode. You will only be able to play with the controllers attached at that point.
Interesting.. I was wondering why or what was causing this rare random occurrence. It happened a small handful of times against those tall creatures with a spear or sword and shield in my experiences. Good to know somebody detected these hiccup like issues claiming its WiFi related. Anyways, I'll be waiting for that patch like the rest of us.
I find the Wi-Fi settings on Switch to be lacking if I'm honest. I can't seem to find a "connection test" option at all or ability to look for a new connection. Maybe I'm just missing something.
That said, my internet signal in my room is horrible and I fully expected to not pick up a connection with the Switch. While it does take a minute or so to connect when I switch the console on, it seems to stay connected which is more than I can say for my Smart TV.
I've not had Zelda freeze on me. Occasional frame rate dips but nothing that really bothered me or impacted gameplay which is why when I saw videos of people experiencing these sudden freezes I was puzzled. Maybe this is it...
My frame rate problems always occur when their is tall grass and alot going on...especially rain. When I turn the camera it stutters ALOT.
I've seen this issue in my game. I always have my WiFi on but I wonder if it's still moving between radios. Scanning for the AP with the best signal to connect to could potentially be the same as scanning for an AP to connect to in general. And having dual, tri or quad band routers/APs isn't an uncommon thing at all.
I hadn't been noticing the framerate issues people have talking about, but I haven't seen any problems connecting to wifi either. Tempted to go switch off my router, see if it actually does cause me some framerate issues...
@JunkRabbit an option to turn Wifi off would be a great addition. As it stands, you can either have all or nothing for wifi/bluetooth, which is very frustrating. The only reason i bothered to run in airplane mode to see if i got better frames is because of my experience with the Vita, which seems to use a significant amount of CPU power just to keep the wifi active. I don't mind the little nuances of dealing with a brand new console, i just hope Nintendo implements some changes to keep the system running smooth and iron out some of these quirks.
This is actually great news. I can temporarily fix it by turning off the internet connection (I'm only playing Breath of the Wild right now anyway) and then Nintendo is gonna patch it. Was concerned it was the system's power that was the issue.
@jestermx6 You can turn off the autoconnect feature of the wifi if you go into internet setting, click on your connection, go to change settings, scroll down to autoconnect, turn off, save. You can then either go in and manual connect each time or turn autoconnect back on.
idk if this is related, but I had one occurrence when I was in a cutscene with the leader of the Gerudo, and it was the strangest thing, she had completely disappeared from the cutscene and I couldn't press any buttons! I had to load a previous save and retry. It worked perfectly the second time, not sure what the deal was though...
@jestermx6
Yeah, I'm not having an actual problem with this either (nor with any other part of the Switch: I love the Joy-Con, not despite but because of their size, after playing a while I simply forget they're there, which is pure magic; I have no scratching issues, no personal problems with the graphical prowess, the Switch is perfectly suited for what it want's to be; in short, I love the Switch!).
I did not report this to complain (did anyone really understand it that way?), but the exact opposite in fact: offer a new perspective on what some may have discredited the game(s) for, and to indicate a possible solution. I am glad NL picked it up to make it public, confirmed it with developers, and of course that some within the community can confirm this, too, yourself even with previous experience. Thanks. So this could help anyone who experienced similar things.
@JunkRabbit Hmm, I wonder if I haven't noticed it or haven't experienced it? It's a constant connection so I'm guessing I haven't experienced it, but I guess in handheld mode away from home (haven't yet taken it out...it'll be a while before I need to) it's more of an issue. It'll probably be patched before I even experience it though.
Haven't experienced whatever this issue is. All of my framerate dips happen in predictable areas full of foliage and whatnot. With that said, I hope Nintendo gets this patched soon. Sounds annoying, and god knows it'll be one less thing for negative nancies to harp on about.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Yeah, I would hope a five year old console has fewer system stability issues than one that has only been on the market for two weeks.
Cool, i'm sure the fix will come promptly.
@NEStalgia
I thought about that, too. Maybe undocked the system doesn't try to connect so frequently. There may be any number of other reasons for that. Digital Foundry did say that Zelda runs more smoothly undocked, so there may certanily be some difference in handling it internally in the Switch. Of course I could not be sure if this is maybe only an issue my individual unit has, but that I find unlikely, having no other issues with the console at all. Only other users (or as it seems developers) can confirm this, which is also why I thought it might be worth investigating by NL. Didn't think they'd just post my submision almost immediately. I think they may have heard it somewhere else, too, and it rang a bell...
@Ralizah Oh I know how bad the OS was originally on Wii U, I was there and it was horrific. Nintendo weren't ready then either. It got steadily better over time with 2 big updates iirc. I'm sure they could have made it even better and faster had they bothered.
There are people saying the Switch user interface is lightning compared to Wii U. Well the Switch is streamlined, a plain Jane if you will. It doesn't have a browser, Miiverse, Mii Plaza and displaying on 2 screens among other factors slowing it down. And of course it has the extra grunt to get the job done.
Nice. I am hoping all of these fixes will help make this console the smooth polished finished product I know it can be.
@tiwo91 I had the same situation a few times on the Wii U i think its a game related problem this time.
@JunkRabbit I agree that it's probably what Shin'en was referring to with their "known issue that will be patched" affecting resolution, but the only question mark is that sounds like a permanent issue rather than an "only when WiFi isn't available" issue. I wonder if there's two issues that are unrelated?
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
Switch and Wii U are brothers, not enemies. I'm sure all told they will both have pluses and minuses.
Why make it a competition? I get Sony Ponies and Xbots fighting, but why would Nintendo fans fight amongst themselves?
A house divided against itself can not stand! haha
I have yet to see any slowdown and I played Zelda most of yesterday docked. However as always I'm happy to see Nintendo jumping in with a fix asap.
This provides a little reassurance. As much as I adore Breath of the Wild some of the slowdown can be quite immersion breaking especially the post hitting of enemies (usually on portable mode). I only need wifi on when browsing the eShop and never thought of disabling it so will give it a shot.
If they could fix it to run a near smooth 30 fps it would be ace. It's a pity cos I love running through foliage; I've wanted to do this in a Zelda game for yonks.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Another +50 for your insufferable existence here.
Guess we really can't have our blueberries without at least one being shrivelled and sour.
Clocked in about 50 hours of BotW now. No frame drops, but frame rate drops yes. But only when docked and they are consistent with specif areas where there is dense foliage. Great Fairy fountain at Kakariko Village, for example.
@NEStalgia
Well, if I remember correctly they weren't very specific, but just indicated it was a "firmware issue" that affected performance of the game, but of course these might indeed be two completely different issues. Related or not, this was a puzzle piece for me that did help me pinpoint the issue and resolve it (no more periodic stutter in FRMX or Setsuna, definitely smoother in Zelda). It's a work-around, and a more permanent and convenient solution will be welcome, but it does work.
Hasn't been a big enough issue for me so I'm not going to bother fiddling with my internet settings. I'll just wait for the inevitable firmware stability update Nintendo is so aptly known for!
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
Don't hate Little Brother Nintendo Switch !
Wii U is a Big Brother of Nintendo Switch.
I do LOVE my Wii U to play Wii games a lot + Wii U games itself.
Good to know in the unlikely case that I get a Switch before this is patched.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE The Switch's OS is indeed lightning fast compared to every other console I own. ESPECIALLY the Wii U. As you said, the streamlined design is probably one big factor in that. The Switch showcases an elegant, focused economy of design in every way, from the sleek tablet to the minimalistic home screen, a far cry from the Wii U with its fat fisher price GamePad and crowded U.I. stuffed with Miis and bloatware. Not that I don't still love my Wii U, mind you, because I absolutely do, but it's nice to see Nintendo create something that does only a few things, but does them very well (well, manufacturing issues aside).
Either way, that's beside the point. My point is that I would expect a console that has been on the market for years and patched to kingdom come to have fewer problems than a new console that has only had one major update so far.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE it has an overall better design and is lightning quick compared you Wii U, Xbone and PS4. The OS is fluid and fast which is what you want.
I'm trying to see your point, but all I can see you do is point to factors why the Wii U was slow and sluggish and what Nintendo did to make the user experience better. And when was the browser part of the "OS" that made it so slow?
Let's not forget how much processing power the Miiverse and Wii U start up screen required! So many polygons and textures being pushed there /sarcasm.
I can't even get my Switch to conect to the router so no problem for me I guess
I'm getting significantly better performance in zelda whilst putting the switch in airplane mode whilst in handheld mode and then docking it.
It wasn't unplayable before but it made me feel like I didn't want to play it on the big screen as every time I engaged in a fight the frames would drop considerably. Now I get the same performance as if I was playing in handheld mode.
I'm much happier knowing it is a software issue that can be patched rather than a limitation of the switch hardware.
@S20TEW It's probably more of an issue with your router than with your Switch. If you're using an old router, your Switch (and a lot of other newer devices) will have problems.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE So it's up to about -70 now?
@S20TEW
Same here. My Wii U's wifi connection was perfectly fine, but with the Switch, (in the same exact location), the wifi connection is pretty much non-existent.
Guess I'm not getting Splatoon 2...
@FX102A I see way more people on here overly, enthusiastically defending Nintendo than those who have a critical opinion. You can call him a bad blueberry, but you'd also have to call all of the overripe, exploding blueberries bad too.
So far I've not had or noticed any of the problems people keep complaining about with the Switch even when I'm playing Zelda Breath of the Wild I don't notice all the frame rate issues at all it seems to run solid on the system to me I've been really impressed with the Switch so far I like it alot more than I thought I would honestly is it perfect well what is I've never seen any system or console that was LOL, but if I was to compare the Switch to say the Wii U or even the PS4 I can say the Switch would come away in spades it simply offers something new and fresh that no other gaming console out can which in my opinion puts it in a class all it's own .
I wonder if this goes for Wii U as well...might try turning wifi off next time to see what happens.
@JunkRabbit we have solar power so energy is not an issue, and leaving it on means all our smart devices and computers update overnight. I dont think i have switched my modem off in years except the occasional reset.
@S20TEW your router could have too many devices connected. Try turning a few off and seqrching again. I had this problem with annold router a few years ago. Possible it applies to you, possibly not.
@JunkRabbit you are a legend. Tried on my nephews switch with RMX with connections all off and it's much better
@-Green- Mine rarely drops at all and when it does, it's very minor. There seems to be some dffering experiences around the place (or some people are more 'complainy' possibly) so maybe this wifi issue makes sense.
On a related note, I personally hated playing the Witcher 3 because the frame rate was horrendous on my PS4, even though it's a great game.. didn't hear one person complaining about it though.
@Ralizah I too love the Switch OS, clean, smart and fast. I'm just concerned Nintendo will listen to the people moaning and end up ruining it by making it like the Wii U or 3DS OS, both of which are utter crap.
@UK-Nintendo
Thanks for the feedback. I'm happy it worked out for someone else. I really hoped it would, which is why I reached out to NL with it instead of just posting it in the forums. Thought it might be more public that way and reach more people, as I was sure I couldn't be the only one experiencing this. Apparently @jestermx6 was right btw: Not only does the connecting attempts slow down the system considerably, but since I am playing with WiFi off completely I really do have the feeling that Zelda runs much more smoothly in most areas, slow-downs seem to be rarer. This is something I didn't even expect and that's not so apparent as the heavy stutter, and I really can't measure it, but it certainly feels that way. Would make sense, too. So it's a clear recommendation to play with WiFi of if not needed, at least for Zelda. Would be interesting if Digital Foundry picked this up and checked this again. May this WAS an issue when they made their comparison...
@Anti-Matter FYI, Reggie will have nothing to do with a patch or firmware update. Maybe he has to approve the wording of the announcement? Probably not even that.
My body is ready to be stabled.
We always make fun of Nintendo and its "stability" updates, but these are the kinds of things those updates resolve. They're more noticeable in the early going than they are later in the system's life, when so many issues have already been ironed out. I'm sure this will be resolved relatively quickly.
@lemonjellydude me either. Both work fine for me.
@KraniX Yeah, the user interface is spartan and intuitive. A million times better than the confusing mess that greets me every time I turn on my PS4. Although I do hope that we eventually get folder support, as that dashboard is going to fill up fast.
Lol: Frame-droppings...on the Switch version of Zelda! Play it on U guys!!
@RedMageLanakyn When it's something of actual contribution to the topic at hand (potential interference of the Switch's wifi in this case) then I got no probs.
When it's just another random opportunity of self-smugness and attempt to demean people's decisions and draw attention to oneself; then even the best of us can snap, throw up our hands and question what goes through such people's heads.
@FX102A I agree on that, and like I said, there are a lot more people on here saying things like "no problems with MY switch, everything works perfect and Nintendo could never do anything wrong" which to me is just as smug and attention seeking as someone with a negative comment.
Honestly, if only constructive comments on topics were allowed, sites like this wouldn't even exist. If you give the rabble rousers attention, it's fuel for their fire to keep it up.
@S20TEW Yeah, I've had wireless connection issues as well. Sometimes the Switch can't even identify wireless networks all of my other wireless devices can.
When will people stop responding to SLIGEACH_EIRE? I read through the comments quite often and it seems like he's the #1 troll on this site.
@bolt05 lucky you, I have not internet at all my games run fine I've had a tiny framerate drop in Zelda but nothing really, I would kill for full internet, you lot have no idea what you take for granted lol
@asaprowen yes theres 2 or 3 and that one is the worst.
I just cannot fathom why he/she goes to the effort of suggesting article content to nintendo life to then constantly criticise everything and anything nintendo related. I wish i could permanently ignore that person's posts!
@NintyNate there is no luck involved. I pay for my kick ass internet access quite deliberately.
To be honest legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is a very taxing game for both Wii U and Switch. Framerate drops seem to be random, but I think the main issue is Nintendo are stretched too thin.
I'm sure the last year was spent porting LOZ to Switch with little in the way of optimisation for either system.
@S20TEW Then you have a defect Broadcom WiFi adapter and should return the console.
I had the same issue on my first Switch. WiFi kept being dropped. Connection tests kept failing and if they succeeded I didn't get more than 1-5mbit download speeds, while I have a 100Mbit Connection.
With my second Switch I know have stable WiFi Connection and Connection tests breeze through With average 60-80 Mbit download speeds.
I also haven't noticed any framerate issues in Zelda so far.
i wonder if thats why i havent seen a issue i have the lan adapter and i dont use the wifi when docked . 35+ hours into zelda and i have only seen a handful of drops and thats normally in a heavily forested area
Hmmm..
So did Nintendo fixed this issue or not?
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