Originally released in 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, RDR2 is widely regarded as one of the greatest open-world games of all time — but also one of the most demanding. With its lifelike animations, massive draw distances, and high storage requirements, it was never expected to run on a handheld. But Switch 2 may change that.
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What the Rumors Say
The original report, cited by IGN, claims that Rockstar is preparing a Switch 2 port of Red Dead Redemption 2 to release before the end of 2025. The rumor coincides with insider whispers of a next-gen upgrade patch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles — suggesting Rockstar may be updating the entire engine.
Eurogamer notes that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recently praised the Switch 2’s power and market momentum, saying it could “outperform expectations” when asked about third-party support. While not a direct confirmation, the timing adds credibility.
Is Switch 2 Powerful Enough?
Switch 2 is reportedly powered by a custom NVIDIA chip using DLSS upscaling and ray-tracing features, bringing its performance closer to PS4 Pro or even base PS5 in some scenarios. If the RDR2 port uses dynamic resolution and leverages DLSS, a playable version is technically possible — especially in handheld 720p or docked 1080p modes.
Still, RDR2’s 150GB install size and complex animation systems mean major optimization will be required. The port would likely require cutbacks in texture resolution, physics fidelity, and streaming distance — similar to what we saw in The Witcher 3 Switch port.
Rockstar’s Spotty History with Nintendo
While Rockstar’s biggest games have traditionally launched on PlayStation and Xbox, the company has dabbled with Nintendo platforms. Past ports include:
- 📱 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS)
- 🧭 L.A. Noire (Switch)
- 🔫 Bully: Scholarship Edition (Wii)
Still, a Switch 2 port of Red Dead Redemption 2 would be Rockstar’s biggest and boldest Nintendo title by far.
Final Thoughts
If Red Dead Redemption 2 comes to Switch 2, it won’t be a 1:1 match for the PS5 version — but it doesn’t have to be. A solid 30fps portable version with smart visual scaling could be enough to win over millions.
The real win here is ambition. Bringing one of the most beautiful, cinematic, and immersive games of all time to a Nintendo handheld would be a technical and symbolic milestone — and a sign that Switch 2 is being taken seriously by the biggest players in gaming.
🔗 Related: See our breakdown of Switch 2’s confirmed specs to understand the hardware powering this potential port.
