Surprise! 'Skyrim Anniversary Edition' Lands On Switch 2 Today

I hope they announce the oblivion remake for switch 2 at the game awards

”To you it’s release day, but to me it’s a Tuesday.”

• Skyrim, to other games

Do you see any difference compared with the Switch 1 version? From the trailer, it looks pretty much the same.

@Brand
It would absolutely need to have one of two things done to work on switch 2...

1: give Nintendo the source code and all files and let them optimize it so it isn't a 100+Gb game

or

2: include a 128Gb SD EX card so the game can be played right away.

I don't see either happening

I’ve had a Switch 1 Skyrim cart sitting on the shelf for years, unplayed. I can’t handle any more huge games at the moment, but when I finally give Skyrim a shot, I will have to go with this upgrade.

@LimitedPower Read the bottom. You get a discounted upgrade pack (£17.99 or $19.99)

For those wondering:

The update is 53Gb

lmao 50 dollars for a game that came out in 2021, of a 2011 game.

Do we on Switch finally get access to MODs?

Why is this 5 times larger than the Switch 1version??????

So i'm looking at the US Eshop and I don't see anything for the upgrade? Am I missing something? I already do own the switch 1 Anniversary Edition

Does the game really run in 30 fps as in the trailer? That's disappointing, if so.

@LimitedPower It's very common with other games being upgraded to Switch 2. This has added DLC on top of being upgraded to a new system. Yeah, I wouldn't pay full price for it now. But might consider the upgrade. People are better off buying a used copy of the original and doing the upgrade.
@cylemmulo check the DLC section and you'll see it

I cant help but chuckle to myself every time this game gets "another" release.

Somehow.....Skyrim has returned

...no 60fps? What's the point?

There's still no setting to turn off spiders like in Hogwarts Legacy right? Oh well.

@MamaSymphonia Personally, I would be happy with the enhanced resolution. Especially since it's a free upgrade.

@Spider-Kev love how we've gotten to a point where wanting devs to optimise file sizes to actually be manageable is an unrealistic expectation.

@TheExile285 you really shouldn't be, it's a 14 year old game that pushed out a lazy compatibility update that barely takes advantage of the new hardware, so they can claim they're supporting the platform. The best this does is vaguely give hope they'll similarly update DOOM and Wolfenstein in the same vein.

@cylemmulo Update the game if you own it. No need to search the eshop.

Call me crazy, but I've never played this game, same as RDR. These Switch 2 versions for free are pretty nice, as they give me more reasons to finally get these classics and give them a go.

60fps on switch 2?

I feel a bit burned with the Oblivion remaster over on my Steam Deck. I did hope they would patch it a few more times, but nothing so far after almost 5 months, so I think I'll wait for 50% off sale with this one.

@Trmn8r I believe all the DLC was included on the base game for Switch. Just not the anniversary mod content which is pretty light IMO

Have they fixed that tree in Whiterun not loading correctly yet?

Well, I have the physical edition, which looks like is not the AE version, but just vanilla Skyrim "Complete", so I guess this is not a free upgrade for me (and the AE upgrade has been on sale for $10 in the last six weeks or so, so I guess I can wait for the next sale).

Promising „optimised performance“ while showing a video in 30 fps is a bit… telling.

I have the Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Switch 1 and can download the Switch 2 edition for free from the eShop. It doesn't look like an upgrade pack, but rather a new version to download for free. Maybe it's possible to have two editions on two different consoles, I'll try.

Edit: I confirm, they are two different virtual game cards!

@TheExile285 Given a choice between 720p -> 1080p and 30fps -> 60fps, I'd take the frame rate every time. That said, we should be getting both, for free, for a game this old.

nice of them to allow previous owners to update to the newest version.

Pretty sure Skyrim has even been released on me at this point.

I have the original Switch version, and will be a sucker and buy the update. There’s just something comforting about returning to Skyrim for the millionth time.

The website is a bit confusing it says the upgrade with be a separate download so this is a Hogwarts Legacy situation? Ie can download the upgrade and then sell my cart? Can anyone confirm that? Or will the physical copy act as a GKC essentially?

@LinktotheFuture Thank you for saying this; it is much needed in a space (gaming) where I’ve never met more of an entitled bunch.

For free? I know a lot of people give them ***** but as a player of Bethesda's games, they treat me better than most. Love to see this, gonna download this update ASAP.

Skyrim is my favorite game of all time. If it releases on a platform I have I'm buying it no questions asked.

@MojoMonkey98 From what someone else said the Switch 2 version is a separate thing from the anniversary edition, which was an add-on to the original release. So in theory... MAYBE, buying the Anniversary DLC should give us access to the digital Switch 2 version, but it very much needs testing to confirm. It might be like Hogwarts, where you had to access the store via the physical game to see the offer.

I've still somehow have never played Skyrim. At the time it was released I was obsessed with Demon/Dark Souls and it sorta just looked unappealing.

I do have the physical cart for Switch but it's a bit of a bummer that I need to pay for the Anniversary Edition upgrade to get the update.

I was wondering when this was going to happen
New system = New version of Skyrim
And the circle of life continues

Yet another reminder I have yet to get to the Switch 1 version I've owned for so long...Maybe someday soon.

@MamaSymphonia I too think that people should work hard to give me free stuff if I decide it’s “old”.

@Brand They need to fix that game on other platforms before they worry about a Switch 2 version. It'd be a pretty significant task to get it running well, it looks and performs atrociously on Steam Deck.

If you own the original Switch 1 version and have it installed/card inserted, you can go to the eShop and it will show the new Switch 2 Aniversary Edition with 100% discount = free.

It's a hefty download of around 45GB. I had to delete some games to make room lol.

@Jeronan How have they managed to get it to 45GB? I'm pretty sure the PS5 version is 16GB.

@cedarhyped gamers like to treat games as if they depreciate like cars and become worthless after x years

That song will always hit hard 🥰

@Jeronan hmm weird, I have the cart inserted and the anniversary dlc installed, still it shows full price for me..

A free update for £18!
21st century economics!

How can they not offer 60 fps....

Can you download mods now?

I've been avoiding even the base update that came alongside the first "Anniversary Edition" release whenever the game tries to download it on the home screen, and the upgrade itself, while wishlisted, has yet to indulge my gaming funds even on sales. This version doesn't sound like it will impact the situation much.

Its not even 4K or 60FPS

I'd have liked a free Switch 2 upgrade for everyone with any version, but that's more on behalf of the playerbase in general. I'm unlikely to revisit Skyrim again anytime soon, and when I do it'll probably be on PC.

But mentioning Bethesda in a Switch-article does make me lament once again that Fallout 3 and New Vegas should have gotten a dual-pack rerelease on the OG Switch at some point during its impressive lifespan.

I hope they get an Oblivion-style remaster (or better yet, a full on remake) at some point, cause I am a lot more keen to see the Capital Wasteland and Mohave Desert again than the northern region of Tamriel.

@Orpheus79V PS5 has apparently more efficient compression, plus its NVME storage so they could remove duplicates or something, while with the Switch 2 they had to take microSD Express into account, which has much slower read/write speeds.

I just checked on Steam, where I have the older Special Edition which is 15GB and the Aniversary Upgrade (which I refused to buy, since I just use mods) would add and extra 12 GB, so then it would still be around 27GB total.

So something is definitely off with the Switch 2 version now being 45 GB.

PS. I just finished downloading and installing it. It's even worse. Final total install size is 53GB !

It's locked 30fps with a lot of input lag...

I'll go back to playing the anniversary edition on Steam Deck then, where I run it at 60fps locked with no input lag and I can mod it freely.

I appreciate it's free but man, this is disappointing on Switch 2.

Thats sooo good but also brutal, i have too much to play (Metroid, Assassins Shadows, Kirby, Hyrule Warriors and bought the physical Farming Simulator Signature Edition today…) and not that much time…

Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for!

I am literally playing this right now on Switch 1 and was always hoping this would happen, I am very excited to try this new version out tonight, for free no less!

@mattiasboden I think you just need to update the game on your Switch 2 console and it will automatically update to the newest version, upgrade and all... at least that's how it works with other games such as Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake.

I have the physical cart and the anni edition on the shop and I CANT upgrade the game it seems. I have to buy the whole thing again for full price. This is madness.

@mackers84

No you have to download the Switch 2 version of Skyrim. This is a specific, deliberate action you have to take.

@mackers84 No, the Switch 2 Aniversary Edition is a complete separate game and install. So you have to claim it in the eShop.

You will get a new virtual Game Key Card added.

@mackers84 thanks, however I found another fix on YouTube, and it worked. First eject the virtual game card for the anniversary dlc original version. Then start the game (without loading the anniversary edition) and enter the eshop from the main menu, and there it was, free.

@cedarhyped L take. Games should run better, for free, on more modern hardware. If you upgrade your PC, all your games run better, for free. If you bought a PS5, the vast majority of PS4 games run better (or at least in PS4 Pro mode), for free. Acting like it's such an outrageous request for it to be the same on Nintendo is... outrageous.

So no 60fps, and I have to pay $20 to get the actual upgrade? No thanks. Classic Bethesda.

I have never played it. I'm excited about this!

@mattiasboden @Jeronan @libersolis thanks for correcting me guys! Hopefully that is helpful for some other folks, seems a little fiddly if you have to go through an in game menu to the eshop to find it, kinda like the Hogwarts Legacy upgrade discount. Any chance you can play without the cart this time?

The only game I’ve played on the Switch 2 lately, I just finished it recently… and now they release a free upgrade. Awwww

Ok my impressions.

Wtf still 30 FPS. A huge swing and a miss here. Skyrim should not be a taxing game for the Switch 2. IMO this does not bode well for future Bethesda releases if their OLDEST port can’t hit 60.

Image is sharper than Switch 1 version running on Switch 2. Cleaner edges. Possibly more detail.
Framerate identical to me as Switch 2 smoothed this out already. Checked settings and there is no performance mode vs quality mode.
Loading times seem similar to me Switch 2 already improved this.
Mouse controls are new of course, haven’t tried them probably won’t, but definitely something not possible on switch 1.

Switch 1 and Switch 2 are 2 different files/games. You can import your Switch 1 saves. Takes a few seconds.

30 FPS is EXTREMELY disappointing but at least Bethesda isn’t charging extra for this. I already owned the digital anniversary edition and downloaded the Switch 2 version for free.

Weekly port and/or upgrade pack from now on it seems! 2 weeks ago we had tomb raider, last week red dead redemption, now skyrim. Next week the witcher?

Good move, makes it much more likely that Switch 2 owners will pick it up now. For the 4K alone.

Switch 1 version is updating now

This was one of my first Switch games..... but I never actually played it. I guess maybe I ought to give it a try now.

Edit: never mind I missed the part where the upgrade is paid if you don't have the anniversary edition already. I completely missed there even was an anniversary edition. Maybe if the upgrade is ever on sale but right now I'm not in a rush to play this.

Where’s Oblivion remastered for NS2 already?

@MamaSymphonia games don't get magically unlocked to 60 FPS when the original was developed to 30fps

@MattmanForever Completely disappointing and inexcusable for this game to run at only 30fps on Switch 2. What the hell, Bethesda.

@jsty3105 They do on everything except Nintendo, apparently. Anniversary Edition "magically" runs at 60fps on both PS5 and PC.

Personally been enjoying all these surprise free switch 2 upgrades. Now all I need is to pick up fallout 4 early next year. And fingers crossed for Witcher 3 upgrade and RDR2.

@MamaSymphonia Well besides the 30 fps limit, I think the most important question to Bethesda right now is why the Switch 2 version is a whopping 53GB in size?! Thats more than 3 times the size of the Anniversary Edition on other platforms.

So they must have seriously messed up something here.

Yeah, this upgrade isn't worth $20 and 53 GB. I'd much rather just have a free upgrade to boost the rendering resolution (not texture resolution) and frame rate.

@MamaSymphonia that's because it probably wasn't locked/developed to 30fps on ps5 or the PC.

If a PS4 game was developed to a locked 30fps and there was backwards compatibility for it on the PS5, there's no button for it to instantly play at 60fps. Ppl have to do some work and perhaps fix bugs created by the increased frame rate.

Case in point, lasers in Totk on the Switch 2 cause more damage compared to the Switch 1 just because of the increased frame rate.

And yeah, it does affect Nintendo's recent consoles more 🤷🏻‍♂️. Absolutely no arguement there. The benefit of gaming on a PC is that most things aren't locked to a specific target. I think there are some games where no amount of extra power will make a jot of difference but I can't yet think of any. Or perhaps I could be totally wrong about that

It doesn't say if there any improvements to graphics from Switch 1 or how it now compares to other consoles

Gonna be real this game sucks 😪

Alarmo Skyrim before GTA6, callin it now

Jokes aside, updating my version tonight.

Sweet! I dont have the Anniversary Pack yet, but ive seen it does go on sale from time to time. Perhaps if it drops to $9.99 again ill bite.

Kind of a bummer that its not 60 fps, but that's not a deal breaker for me.

I loaded up my base version of Skyrim on Switch 2 to see if the upgrade is truly Anniversary only, as I received an update today.

Not only is the update limited to the anniversary edition, as mentioned in the press material, requiring a $20!!! purchase to receive the upgrade… but my base game crashed within one minute after loading the save.

The save was a 1hr playtime file, with my character at lvl 1 in Whiterun for context…

@Chimichanga

I don’t believe Switch 2’s CPU will be able to handle the game well. I could be terribly wrong but considering the game is quite demanding, essentially UE5 rendering on top of the original gamebryo engine, I would be extremely skeptical of its playability on Switch 2.

@LimitedPower

My sentiments exactly.

@MojoMonkey98 @cylemmulo @HenrikW and everyone who had an issue figuring out how to upgrade from cart + AE upgrade for free:

Turns out that the AE digital upgrade has to be UNLOADED from Switch 2 to suddenly become eligible to upgrade for free, also the Switch 2 version appears as a separate build so there’s no need to use the S1 cartridge after that

@HenrikW Delete the game, then reinstall it. After that, start it and choose ‘Update’ from the game menu.

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/266/065/b25.png

Downloaded it for free. Never played the previous version that I bought at a deep discount (my backlog is out of control). Likely won’t get to it for awhile, so hopefully it gets a patch or two (based of some issues I saw skimming thru to comments). I have a 1 TB card so memory isn’t an issue at the moment, but that file size is nuts…

I feel sorry for the earlier comments asking for Oblivion Remaster with how badly they botched this Skyrim port on S2. If they can’t even make a 60 FPS non input lag for this ancient game on much better hardware then the S1 then I have no hope they would do a remotely good job with an Oblivion port.