Castlevania's Switch Version Runs at Half the Frame Rate

Konami's product page for Castlevania: Belmont's Curse spells it out plainly: 60fps on PS5, Xbox, and PC. 30fps on Nintendo Switch. For a fast-paced 2D action game built around whip-swinging combat and tight platforming, that's a significant downgrade, not a minor footnote.

Pre-orders went live on the Nintendo eShop this week, bringing the first screenshots of the Switch version with them. The reception hasn't been warm. Players have pointed out blurry visuals alongside the halved frame rate, and Konami hasn't announced a Switch 2 version that could close the gap. That last part stings, especially since Evil Empire's previous game, The Rogue Prince of Persia, did get a Switch 2 release.

Evil Empire, the studio co-developing Belmont's Curse with Konami, built its reputation on Dead Cells, a game where responsive frame-by-frame combat was the entire appeal. Dropping to 30fps in a game designed around that same philosophy changes how the action feels. Enemies read differently, dodge windows compress, and the whole rhythm of play shifts. I'm not saying the Switch version will be bad, but if you have any other platform available, this confirmation makes the choice pretty straightforward.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse launches October 15, 2026. The game is still in development, so the resolution issues could improve before release. The frame rate target, though, is almost certainly locked in.