Bethesda has released update 1.2 for Skyrim on Nintendo Switch 2, fully addressing the woeful performance that blighted the game’s latest port. It follows on from an update shortly after its December release that quickly removed the frame rate cap to improve latency, but now tackles this with a full 60fps performance mode, fixes to visual glitches, and more.

The game performance is the most significant improvement, a new toggle under the Display settings letting you prioritise visuals or performance. This tweaks visual settings and resolution targets in order to deliver 60fps, which from anecdotal online accounts seems to be pretty solid. Additionally, the 30fps visuals have been locked back to this frame rate and the graphics tweaked to give steadier performance.

It’s a huge shame that the game couldn’t have had this degree of performance and refinement at its original release, as it led to a lot of bad reviews – we ended up having to give it a 5/10 because of the issues. However, it does give a glimmer of optimism for the Fallout 4 port to Switch 2 which is set to drop next week.

The Skyrim Switch 2 Update 1.2 patch notes are as follows

Features:

• Added a 60 Hz mode under Display settings that allows players to toggle between “Prioritize Visuals” or “Prioritize Performance”.
• In addition, frame rate has been locked at 30 Hz in “Prioritize Visuals” mode for smoother gameplay.

Crashes and Performance Fixes:

• Fixed a crash that occurred when reading “The Crimson Dirks Vol. 4” book for the “Tilted Scales” quest in German.
• Fixed an audio-related crash.
• Fixed a crash, infinite load, and game freeze that sometimes occurred when rapidly selecting “Load” multiple times in the pause menu.
• Fixed a crash that occurred when the “Transmute Ore” spell was repeatedly cast outside of the Haltered Stream Camp.
• Improved FPS performance drops that occurred in the following locations:
  • during the Hide and Seek quest in Kynesgrove
  • during combat at Secunda’s Kiss
  • when discovering the “Drelas’ Cottage” location
  • when engaged in combat with a giant at the Talking Stone Camp.

Visuals Issues Fixes:

• Viewing water planes from a distance or within menus caused them to shift up and down.
• Distant aspen trees appeared with a blue tint.
• Transitioning out of caves caused an outline of the entrance to linger during the fade-to-back loading screen.

User Interface Fixes:

• Switching between mouse and controller mode while in dialogue or the Help menu, caused different options to be highlighted.
• Switching between mouse and controller mode while in help menus or user hints, did not dynamically update callout prompts.
• The “Ready/Sheathe” option was missing from the Joy-Con 2 Mouse Controls menu.
• The “Delete” prompt remained grayed-out within the Load menu when swapping between mouse and controller mode.
• Deleting a save in the Save/Load menus reset the highlighted selection to the top of the menu list.
• While in mouse mode, the cursor remained stuck within a smaller section of the screen when changing between docked/undocked modes or interfacing with GameChat.

Controls Fixes:

• The “Eagle Eye” Archery perk remained active after switching between mouse and controller mode.
• Holding down the Right Joystick while reassigning a button caused that button to disappear from the Controls list.
• The Joy-Con 2 controllers provided haptic feedback while in mouse mode.
• Buttons became unresponsive when controls were remapped while moving the Joy-Con 2 controllers in mouse mode.
• Rotating the map in mouse mode was slower and less smooth than in controller mode.

Audio Issue Fix:

• Scrolling SFX continued to play while holding up or down on the Left Joystick or buttons at the top or bottom of the Save/Load menus.

Localization Fixes:

• “Amiibo” appeared as plural in Spanish.

Miscellaneous:

• Added new translations for the features listed above and UI updates.
• Updates were made to the game credits.

Source: a social media hellhole we won’t link to.

The recent update to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition is apparently a huge improvement with Digital Foundry seeming very pleased with what they have played. You may remember that the game had numerous issues at launch which have thankfully now been fixed. The game still looks a little rough around the edges… Read More »Skyrim Nintendo Switch 2’s Version 1.2 update is apparently a big improvement

Source

Bethesda has released update 1.2 for Skyrim on Nintendo Switch 2, fully addressing the woeful performance that blighted the game’s latest port. It follows on from an update shortly after its December release that quickly removed the frame rate cap to improve latency, but now tackles this with a full 60fps performance mode, fixes to visual glitches, and more.

The game performance is the most significant improvement, a new toggle under the Display settings letting you prioritise visuals or performance. This tweaks visual settings and resolution targets in order to deliver 60fps, which from anecdotal online accounts seems to be pretty solid. Additionally, the 30fps visuals have been locked back to this frame rate and the graphics tweaked to give steadier performance.

It’s a huge shame that the game couldn’t have had this degree of performance and refinement at its original release, as it led to a lot of bad reviews – we ended up having to give it a 5/10 because of the issues. However, it does give a glimmer of optimism for the Fallout 4 port to Switch 2 which is set to drop next week.

The Skyrim Switch 2 Update 1.2 patch notes are as follows

Features:

• Added a 60 Hz mode under Display settings that allows players to toggle between “Prioritize Visuals” or “Prioritize Performance”.
• In addition, frame rate has been locked at 30 Hz in “Prioritize Visuals” mode for smoother gameplay.

Crashes and Performance Fixes:

• Fixed a crash that occurred when reading “The Crimson Dirks Vol. 4” book for the “Tilted Scales” quest in German.
• Fixed an audio-related crash.
• Fixed a crash, infinite load, and game freeze that sometimes occurred when rapidly selecting “Load” multiple times in the pause menu.
• Fixed a crash that occurred when the “Transmute Ore” spell was repeatedly cast outside of the Haltered Stream Camp.
• Improved FPS performance drops that occurred in the following locations:
  • during the Hide and Seek quest in Kynesgrove
  • during combat at Secunda’s Kiss
  • when discovering the “Drelas’ Cottage” location
  • when engaged in combat with a giant at the Talking Stone Camp.

Visuals Issues Fixes:

• Viewing water planes from a distance or within menus caused them to shift up and down.
• Distant aspen trees appeared with a blue tint.
• Transitioning out of caves caused an outline of the entrance to linger during the fade-to-back loading screen.

User Interface Fixes:

• Switching between mouse and controller mode while in dialogue or the Help menu, caused different options to be highlighted.
• Switching between mouse and controller mode while in help menus or user hints, did not dynamically update callout prompts.
• The “Ready/Sheathe” option was missing from the Joy-Con 2 Mouse Controls menu.
• The “Delete” prompt remained grayed-out within the Load menu when swapping between mouse and controller mode.
• Deleting a save in the Save/Load menus reset the highlighted selection to the top of the menu list.
• While in mouse mode, the cursor remained stuck within a smaller section of the screen when changing between docked/undocked modes or interfacing with GameChat.

Controls Fixes:

• The “Eagle Eye” Archery perk remained active after switching between mouse and controller mode.
• Holding down the Right Joystick while reassigning a button caused that button to disappear from the Controls list.
• The Joy-Con 2 controllers provided haptic feedback while in mouse mode.
• Buttons became unresponsive when controls were remapped while moving the Joy-Con 2 controllers in mouse mode.
• Rotating the map in mouse mode was slower and less smooth than in controller mode.

Audio Issue Fix:

• Scrolling SFX continued to play while holding up or down on the Left Joystick or buttons at the top or bottom of the Save/Load menus.

Localization Fixes:

• “Amiibo” appeared as plural in Spanish.

Miscellaneous:

• Added new translations for the features listed above and UI updates.
• Updates were made to the game credits.

Source: a social media hellhole we won’t link to.

Bethesda Game Studios boss Todd Howard has flattened hope for a major Starfield overhaul by stating that the long-awaited update in development "is not Starfield 2.0".

Read more

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim getting a native Nintendo Switch 2 version was one of those no-brainers we expected to see as soon as the console launched, yet it took more than a few months to arrive, and when it finally did, it was a mess. What happened there? It's a game from 2011, for Talos' sake.

Read more

Whether through board games, pen-and-paper RPGs, or video games – gaming has always been a part of our household.  Like most families, we also watch movies and television together, but the interactive nature of playing video games is something that we truly cherish.

I fondly remember when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild first came out, and both of my daughters were old enough to play.  The original game, The Legend of Zelda, was one of the first games I had when I was around their age and it was nice to share that with them.  Even though it’s a single-player game, the three of us sat on the couch battling monsters and trying to solve puzzles together. We took turns trying different strategies, while the other two shouted out suggestions.  We were talking, laughing, using our brains, and practicing how to share.

But not all games are appropriate for kids.  When they were younger, they were very curious about a different game I was playing that also involved riding around on horseback.  That game was Skyrim.  Skyrim is rated M for Mature and has plenty of content that isn’t appropriate for young kids.  I did, however, let my oldest sit on my lap and ride around on the horse.  If she ran into a combat situation, we paused the game and I explained that some parts weren’t for her before she would scoot off, somewhat disappointed that it wasn’t just a horse-riding simulator.

From their very earliest years, they knew that some games were for them – and some weren’t (yet).  They also knew that their father was not only making that determination as their dad, but also was behind the black-and-white letter that was on the front of the game’s box.

What Makes Up a Rating?

Most parents’ jobs don’t involve evaluating video games for age appropriateness. But that is precisely what I do for a living at the ESRB as its Senior Vice President of Ratings. ESRB assigns age and content rating information to video games and apps to help parents decide which products are appropriate for their kids.

There are three parts to the system:

Rating Category
The Rating Category suggests whether a game may be appropriate for a certain age group. That doesn’t necessarily mean the game is designed or intended for that age group — just that the content is suitable. There are plenty of E-rated games that might still be too challenging or complex for a young child.

Content Descriptors
These provide more detail about what players will encounter in a game and ultimately what content led to the Rating Category assignment. In the case of Breath of the Wild, one of the Descriptors is Fantasy Violence. That means the game includes combat or action sequences that aren’t realistic or something you’d encounter in everyday life — such as battling a rock monster rather than a human foe. On the other hand, Skyrim has a Descriptor for Intense Violence signaling to parents that the violence is more graphic and/or realistic looking.

Interactive Elements
While not relevant to all games, Interactive Elements inform parents about non-content features that may be important to know before their child plays a game. For example, if a game allows players to communicate with others, you’ll see “Users Interact.” If it offers in-game spending, you’ll see “In-Game Purchases” or “In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items).” These notices help families understand the kinds of interactions or transactions a game may include, allowing parents to plan ahead, discuss household rules around video games, and set parental controls to back them up.

For physical, boxed games, ESRB also provides Rating Summaries — short paragraphs that go a step deeper to describe in more detail the content of the game and the context in which it is presented to the player. These are especially helpful for parents who want more insight into why a game received its specific Rating Category and Content Descriptors.

Staying Involved

Sharing time in front of the TV with a controller in hand has created some of our most memorable family moments.  Lately, we’ve been playing through The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (the sequel to Breath of the Wild).  Their hand-eye coordination has now surpassed my own. They are more likely to take the controller away from me instead of relying on me to get them through.  They’re growing up.

Playing together has helped us stay connected and maintain open communication about games — what they’re about, why we enjoy them, and what’s appropriate for different ages. When parents understand what their kids love about games, it becomes easier to set household rules around playtime, online interactions, and spending.

For example, my younger daughter has been increasingly interested in Roblox over the past few years. Talking with her about why some of the experiences on Roblox resonated with her helped us talk about appropriate online interactions with others, what’s off limits, and more. For more information on establishing household rules and starting constructive conversations around video games visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide.

As mentioned, if you’re looking for a way to reinforce household rules, nearly every device that can play games — from consoles to smartphones — includes built-in parental controls.

These tools make it simple to:

• Manage what your kids can play, based on the ESRB-assigned age rating.
• Set time limits and control when games can be played.
• Restrict with whom they can communicate.
• Limit or block the ability to make in-game purchases.

Visit ParentalTools.org for step-by-step parental controls guides to help parents get started setting controls.

Ultimately, playing games together led to a lot of quality time for me with my daughters, and it’s one of the best ways to connect as a family.

 

The post Level Up with ESRB: Talkin’ Ratings – Family Game Time appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Skyblivion, the massive mod remake of Oblivion in Skyrim's engine, won't be making its previously announced 2025 release goal, the team behind it have confirmed. Instead, the mod'll be coming out at some point in 2026, giving the team behind it extra time to overcome the final few hurdles and get it polished up.

This news comes a few months after ex-Skyblivion level and world designer Dee Keyes called the 2025 release goal the mod's team set in 2023 "pointless and unachievable". Keyes also accused Skyblivion project lead Kyle 'Rebelzize' Rebel and implementation lead Heavy Burns of rushing the project out the door and mismanaging communication within the team, subsequently sharing more of his perspective on the project in a video interview with RPS sister site Eurogamer. In a response to Keyes' original claims, Heavy Burns asserted that "many of the statements in his post are either misrepresented or just untrue".

Read more

Right, so. There's Oblivion Remastered, the official Oblivion remaster which released earlier this year. There's Skyblivion, the fan-made Oblivion remake mod which still currently looks due out relatively soonish, despite its release window having been a source of drama a few months ago. There's also Beyond Skyrim: Cyrodiil, another massive Skyrim modding project, but this time seeking to re-create the province in which Oblivion's set as it might be at the time The Elder Scrolls five takes place. Simple. The last one of those has just released a fresh teaser.

Read more