Aspyr says Rise of the Tomb Raider on Switch 2 is locked to 30fps because a 60fps target would have required visual and consistency compromises, especially in busy action scenes.
Aspyr tested 60fps, then locked the port to 30fps
Rise of the Tomb Raider on Switch 2 runs at a locked 30 frames per second, and Aspyr says that decision came after months of trying to make 60fps work. Speaking to Nintendo Everything, Aspyr’s Anna Grant and Kay Gilmore said the team explored a higher frame-rate target but found that Rise of the Tomb Raider 60fps on Switch 2 would have required “serious compromises that would have frustrated players.”
The immediate consequence for players is straightforward: this Switch 2 Tomb Raider port should be judged as a 30fps version, not as a late-arriving 60fps showcase. Nintendo Everything reports that the team also looked into an unlocked frame rate, but that option was dropped because performance was not consistent enough.
What 60fps would have cost
Aspyr’s explanation centers on GPU load and visual tradeoffs. Grant and Gilmore told Nintendo Everything that the studio heard feedback from Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, where players objected to sacrificing visual fidelity for performance. For Rise, Aspyr says it wanted the Switch 2 release to be “the best version of the game” it could deliver on Nintendo’s hardware.
The key technical point is that Rise of the Tomb Raider is described by Aspyr as much more GPU heavy than its predecessor, despite being an older game. According to the studio, pushing the Rise of the Tomb Raider frame rate to 60fps could not be done consistently without cuts that would have undermined the experience. Nintendo Life, summarizing the same interview, framed Aspyr’s choice as favoring a stable 30fps presentation over a less consistent 60fps attempt or a visually diminished port.
Why an unlocked frame rate was also rejected
The middle-ground question is not only why the game misses 60fps, but why Switch 2 players do not have an unlocked option or a 40fps-style compromise. Nintendo Everything reports that Aspyr did investigate unlocking the frame rate. The issue, according to the outlet’s interview, was that the result produced inconsistency, including stuttering and other frustrating moments during busy action sequences.
That detail matters for Rise of the Tomb Raider more than it would for a slower adventure game. Lara’s second Survivor-era outing leans on heavy combat arenas, collapsing environments, traversal chains, and set pieces where timing and visual clarity carry the scene. If those moments stutter, the problem is not just a number on a performance chart. It can break the rhythm of aiming, dodging, climbing, and reading the chaos around Lara.
How this compares with other versions
Nintendo Everything notes that Rise of the Tomb Raider was largely a 30fps game on most platforms. The PC version had an unlocked frame rate, while the PS4 Pro version could reach as high as 60fps. That context makes the Switch 2 result less surprising, but it also explains why some players expected more from a new port on newer Nintendo hardware.
The confirmed facts are narrower than the speculation around them. Aspyr has explained why it did not ship a 60fps mode or an unlocked frame-rate option on Switch 2. The provided sources do not include an announcement of a future 60fps patch, and My Nintendo News says it would not expect one based on Aspyr’s comments. That last point is interpretation from the outlet, not a stated roadmap from Aspyr.
Why it matters for action-adventure players
For this genre, frame rate is not cosmetic. Rise of the Tomb Raider’s pacing moves between quiet exploration, environmental puzzle solving, stealth approaches, bow and firearm combat, and large cinematic escapes. A stable frame rate helps those transitions feel deliberate instead of jagged.
Aspyr’s argument is that consistency protects immersion better than an unstable higher ceiling. For players who value sharper visuals and steadier set pieces over a higher performance target, the Switch 2 version’s 30fps lock may be the more sensible compromise. For players who consider 60fps essential for combat feel, this port does not offer that option based on the current reporting.
What Switch 2 players should expect
Rise of the Tomb Raider is currently available on Nintendo Switch 2, according to Nintendo Everything. Players should expect a 30fps lock, not a 60fps mode, not an unlocked frame-rate toggle, and not a confirmed performance patch that changes that target.
The provided source material does not list a price, upgrade path, file size, physical versus digital details, or any special hardware requirement beyond the Switch 2 platform itself. The practical buying advice is therefore tied to performance priorities. If you want Rise of the Tomb Raider on a Nintendo handheld-style platform and can accept 30fps for the sake of stability and visual fidelity, Aspyr’s explanation suggests that is the intended experience. If your main reason to revisit Lara’s Siberian expedition is Rise of the Tomb Raider 60fps, the Switch 2 version is not positioned as that release.