18 February 2026

Skyrim Switch 2 Version Just Got a New Update

By newsgame

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has once again been updated, but this time, the update is only for Switch 2 players. While the title is over a decade old, it’s still remarkable to see the game getting love. Skyrim was originally released in 2011, but it has seen a steady stream of re-releases and special editions over the years. Now, in 2026, the title is still proving itself relevant.

The story of Skyrim isn’t just about ports and its many retail versions. It’s also about a community that’s kept this world alive through legend, iteration, and especially mods. While Bethesda itself hasn’t added new quests or big narrative expansions for years, Skyrim’s modding scene remains active. And players haven’t stopped pouring hours into exploring and reimagining the game’s possibilities.

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NPCs really help the world of Skyrim come to life. These amazing mods improve the quality of every interaction in the game.

Update 1.2 Focuses on Stability and Performance

Now, Bethesda has announced Update 1.2 specifically for the Switch 2 version of Skyrim. Largely focused on performance, stability, and interface improvements, it’s headlined by the addition of a new 60 Hz display mode. Players can now toggle between Prioritize Visuals and Prioritize Performance in the Display settings, with the visuals mode locking the frame rate at 30 Hz for more consistent gameplay while performance mode targets smoother output.

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Beyond the new display option, the patch addresses a wide range of crash scenarios, and several performance dips have also been improved. Visual fixes clean up water rendering, distant foliage coloration, and cave transition effects. Input and UI consistency have also been improved when switching between mouse and controller modes on Switch 2. The patch resolves numerous highlight, prompt, and menu navigation bugs, improves control remapping behavior, and addresses issues with haptic feedback and responsiveness. Additional audio fixes, localization corrections, updated translations, and minor credits revisions round out the update.

Skyrim's Switch 2 port has been patched, but fans are still unhappy with its performance

This update isn’t happening in a vacuum; Skyrim has been breathing in the afterlife for years now. The Anniversary Edition alone reignited passion for the title on modern consoles, and the game’s arrival on Nintendo Switch 2 in late 2025 was a reminder that fans still want to carry their Dragonborn everywhere they go. Even in the broader context of Bethesda’s pipeline — where The Elder Scrolls 6 remains shrouded in mystery and next-gen ambitions — Skyrim’s longevity suggests something deeper: this is a game that has transcended its original release and become a part of gaming culture.

A scene featuring characters in The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim (2021)

Look at how far Skyrim has come: originally released in 2011, remastered and re-released generation after generation, enthusiastically embraced by modders worldwide, and still getting updates in 2026. Take, for example, the fan-made DLC-sized underwater city or the addition of custom spell crafting. That’s the weird, wonderful magic of Bethesda’s world-building.

Even as Bethesda comments on The Elder Scrolls 6‘s progress and the company’s bigger ambitions continue to loom over the RPG landscape, Skyrim stands as a testament to old worlds having new lives. And for some players, that’s just as thrilling as any completely new adventure. So, players who have Skyrim on Switch 2 might want to check out this update to see how the game feels after the improvements.

Skyrim Switch 2 Update 1.2 Notes (February 17, 2026)

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.

Released: November 11, 2011
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s): Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher(s): Bethesda Softworks