Overwatch’s Switch 2 debut last week was astoundingly bad, to the point where we had to question whether the launch build had been tested at all before it went live. As we expected, though, Blizzard quickly deployed a patch to fix its FPS cap issue, and the port now works as intended.

That doesn’t mean it’s a perfect version of Overwatch at the time of writing, mind you. The Switch 2 does deliver steadier performance and much better load times than last-gen machines. Of course, that includes the rough Switch 1 port, which bravely tried to punch way above the console’s weight. Nintendo’s hardware finally has a version of Overwatch that doesn’t feel like a cut-down take on the hit multiplayer game.

As someone who loved Blizzard’s hero shooter in its original form and was severely disappointed by the following evolution and almost the entirety of Overwatch 2’s run, this year’s relaunch of the game has rekindled my interest in a notable way. Without that refresh, I wouldn’t have cared much about a Switch 2 port, but right now, I love having more options to enjoy a stacked shooter that’s finally remembered what made it so fun in the first place.

Cross-play and cross-progression, like in Diablo 4 (another perfect candidate for a Switch 2 port), are in, which means you can seamlessly jump between consoles and PC with the same account and all the cosmetics you’ve earned. It all works well as far as I can tell, and gyro controls don’t restrict this feature. Play with whoever you want, however you want. The exception here appears to be anything tied to a sub’s benefits; for example, all of my Game Pass swag isn’t unlocked when I choose to play on platforms that aren’t Xbox. Weird choice, but okay.

Another interesting quirk of the Switch 2 port at the time of writing is there’s no support for the console’s Joy-Con 2 mouse functionality, yet it accepts external mouse plus keyboard inputs. I can only guess this was rushed out in order to release alongside Season 2 and the new hero, which would explain its launch woes. I’m fully expecting that feature to be added in at a later date, especially now that its 60 FPS target is a thing that works as intended.

Yes, the Switch 2 version now runs most of the time at 60 FPS. While I noticed no dips during normal play, which allowed my aiming and movement to remain smooth and consistent, drops still happen when certain ultimates are stacked on top of each other. Under certain circumstances, the console simply can’t keep up. But typically, those are chaotic second-long moments when you’re likely dying or dead anyway. More visually jarring are the serious hiccups and slowdowns when switching to the kill cams and/or spectator mode. Again, that’s not regular play, and even if things are cleaned up, such rough edges shouldn’t be deal-breakers.

In the event of slowdowns during normal play (again, having too many visual FX going off at the same time can cause them), Switch 2’s handheld mode has the advantage due to the screen’s VRR capabilities. Once again, docked play is left behind on that front, which makes framerate drops more noticeable. The upside, however, is the output resolution fares much better when the Switch 2 is running docked. Visual cutbacks, while noticeable, aren’t much of an issue for a game so stylised, but fine details can be a bit too pixelated while in portable mode.

Overall, I can recommend Overwatch on Switch 2 as long as you’re not planning to make it your main platform… if you’re even slightly competitive. As nice as playing it on one’s bed without major compromises before going to sleep is, it doesn’t exactly match the experience on current-gen consoles, but it’s almost there, and with a more convincing upscaling solution (I don’t think it’s using DLSS), further optimisation, and the activation of the Joy-Con 2’s full functionalities, it could become one of the most convincing third-party ports for Nintendo’s lovely hybrid.