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The right setting depends first on which game you own. Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition, released natively for Nintendo Switch 2 on October 28, 2026, offers a Performance Option that targets 60 FPS through upscaling and adjusted quality settings, and a Quality Option that targets 30 FPS while prioritizing visual fidelity. Start with Performance if responsive camera movement and menus matter most; choose Quality if a cleaner-looking image matters more. The older Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition is a separate backward-compatible listing and does not gain Expanded Edition’s graphics toggle.
Those are targets, not frame-rate guarantees. Nintendo and Paradox have not published per-mode output resolutions, large-city minimum frame rates, or a controlled stability benchmark, so no honest guide can promise a locked 60 FPS or prescribe PC-style shadow and anti-aliasing sliders.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded Edition — Performance Option | Smoother camera movement and interface response | 60 FPS target; upscaling and adjusted quality settings | Nintendo Switch 2; TV, tabletop and handheld play | Oct 2026 |
| Expanded Edition — Quality Option | Visual fidelity over motion smoothness | 30 FPS target; fidelity priority | Nintendo Switch 2; TV, tabletop and handheld play | Oct 2026 |
| Nintendo Switch Edition (original) | Owners keeping the older release and its included content | No Switch 2-specific graphics target published; Nintendo describes behavior as consistent with Nintendo Switch | Original Switch game supported on Nintendo Switch 2 | Oct 2026 |
Which Cities: Skylines edition is on your Switch 2?
Nintendo lists two different products. The native Switch 2 release is Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition; the earlier Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition remains a separate, backward-compatible game. A Switch 2 console does not automatically turn the older software into Expanded Edition, and installing the older listing will not add the new Performance and Quality choices.
Expanded Edition
Paradox’s launch material describes Expanded Edition as a larger version of the city builder. It raises the buildable area to 25 tiles, compared with the original nine-tile limit, and adds a map editor, environmental controls, and ten included DLC expansions and content packs. Those additions change how large and varied a city can become, but they are not published as frame-rate settings and should not be treated as performance guarantees.
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Nintendo Switch Edition
The older release includes the After Dark and Snowfall expansions. Nintendo’s Switch 2 listing identifies it as supported software whose behavior is consistent with Nintendo Switch, rather than as a remastered mode with the Expanded Edition’s graphics controls. If you need the two-option graphics menu, check that the title on your software listing is specifically “Expanded Edition.”
Which graphics mode should you choose?
Choose Performance when motion clarity and input response are your first priorities. Choose Quality when you are willing to accept a lower frame-rate target for the mode that prioritizes visual fidelity.
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Performance Option: the sensible starting point for responsiveness
Paradox Interactive’s description sets a 60 FPS target for Performance Option. It achieves that target through upscaling and adjusted quality settings, so the mode is explicitly a compromise between rendering detail and motion smoothness rather than a promise of native high resolution.
This is the appropriate first selection for players who spend a lot of time panning across a growing city, rotating the camera, or navigating dense construction menus. It also gives you the clearest way to evaluate the game’s intended performance choice: select Performance before changing other variables, then decide whether the image trade-off is acceptable for your city and display.
Quality Option: prioritize the image
Quality Option has a 30 FPS target and prioritizes visual fidelity, according to Paradox. A 30 FPS target can be preferable for players who value detail and are comfortable with less fluid camera motion. It is not an “ultra” preset with independently adjustable shadows, anti-aliasing, or texture controls; the official descriptions present it as one integrated mode.
Why “target” matters
A target describes the mode’s design goal, not a locked output under every load. Neither the Nintendo product description nor Paradox’s launch notice publishes minimum frame rates for large cities, frame-time graphs, or a mode-by-mode resolution. Simulation load, scene complexity, and other conditions may affect how consistently a target is met, but the available specifications do not quantify those effects.
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Jordan Biordi’s October 26, 2026 CGMagazine hands-on review reported little apparent handheld image difference between the two choices and favored the smoother Performance experience. That is one reviewer’s observation, not a universal benchmark or a guarantee for every city, screen, or play session.
How do you change the graphics option?
The exact button sequence is not documented in the published Nintendo or Paradox descriptions. Use the game’s own settings labels rather than instructions copied from Cities: Skylines II, which has a different settings model.
- Confirm the edition. From the Home menu or your software library, verify that the installed title is Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition. The original Switch Edition will not display the Expanded Edition toggle.
- Open the in-game settings. Start the game and use its settings or options screen. Nintendo and Paradox have not published an exact menu path or button-by-button sequence, so follow the labels shown by your installed version.
- Select one integrated mode. Choose Performance Option for the 60 FPS target with upscaling and adjusted quality, or Quality Option for the 30 FPS target with fidelity prioritized.
- Apply any on-screen confirmation. If the game asks you to confirm or reload the setting, use that prompt. Do not assume a console-wide display change is required; no such requirement is stated in the official descriptions.
- Reassess using your priority. Pan and rotate the camera in the kind of city you actually play. If motion feels more important than image detail, stay with Performance; if the presentation is your priority and the lower target is acceptable, stay with Quality.
There is no published resolution number to enter and no official sequence for adjusting individual effects. If a guide gives you a 4K/1080p table or PC-style slider instructions for this release, it is adding information that Nintendo and Paradox have not supplied.
Do TV, tabletop and handheld modes have different graphics guarantees?
Expanded Edition supports TV, tabletop and handheld play, but the publisher does not provide separate frame-rate guarantees for those configurations. They are supported ways to play, not three documented graphics presets.
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Changing from a television to handheld may change how you perceive detail, yet there is no published evidence that docking, undocking, or changing the console’s display setting fixes simulation slowdowns. Keep the Performance-versus-Quality decision separate from the choice of screen and control position.
Biordi’s CGMagazine review specifically found little apparent handheld image-quality difference between the options and preferred Performance for its smoother feel. Treat that as the reviewer’s assessment under that review’s conditions, not as a measured result for every handheld session.
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What does Expanded Edition add beyond the graphics switch?
The new mode selector is only one part of the Switch 2 release. Expanded Edition’s larger building scope can affect your purchasing decision even though it does not provide a published performance forecast.
- Twenty-five buildable tiles: Paradox lists 25 tiles, compared with nine in the original Switch Edition.
- Map editor: You can create or customize maps rather than relying solely on the supplied maps.
- Environmental controls: The edition adds tools for shaping environmental conditions.
- Ten included DLC items: Paradox describes ten included expansions and content packs.
These are content and construction features. They should not be read as evidence that a 25-tile city will hold a particular frame rate, because no large-city performance series has been published for either mode.
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Does keyboard-and-mouse input improve performance?
No. Input and graphics are separate. The Paradox publisher description on Nintendo’s product listing says: “Build with keyboard and mouse input alongside traditional controller configurations.” That statement establishes supported input, not a faster frame rate or a different rendering mode.
A USB keyboard and mouse can make long planning sessions more comfortable if your setup supports the needed connections, but no specific model, port arrangement, or handheld configuration has been verified here. Choose a peripheral for control preference, not as a graphics fix.
What should you do if the game feels slow?
Because official sources do not publish a troubleshooting matrix or minimum-frame-rate measurements, use a conservative decision path rather than promising a hidden fix.
1. Check the installed title
Make sure you are not applying Expanded Edition advice to the original Switch Edition. The older game is supported on Switch 2, but Nintendo describes its behavior as consistent with Nintendo Switch and does not list the two new graphics options for it.
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2. Pick Performance first
In Expanded Edition, Performance is the only mode whose published purpose is to target 60 FPS. If your priority is responsiveness, selecting it is the documented adjustment; there is no official list of additional effect sliders to lower.
3. Separate image quality from simulation behavior
A 60 FPS target concerns presentation and motion output. It does not establish a guaranteed simulation speed for every city size or traffic pattern. Avoid claiming that a different television setting, docking state, or keyboard will cure a slowdown when the available specifications do not say that they do.
4. Record the conditions before seeking support
If the issue persists, note the edition, selected mode, play configuration (TV, tabletop or handheld), and what was happening in the city when the problem appeared. Those details are more useful to support staff than an assumed resolution number, because no official per-mode resolution or large-city benchmark is available.
What technical information is still unknown?
Several details readers often expect from a graphics guide have not been published for this release:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- There is no official numerical output resolution for Performance Option or Quality Option.
- There is no published mode-by-mode benchmark showing minimum or average frame rates in a large city.
- There is no documented frame-rate guarantee for TV, tabletop or handheld play individually.
- There is no official button-by-button menu path in the cited product descriptions.
- There is no evidence that console display settings, docking, or a keyboard-and-mouse setup changes rendering performance.
These are evidence limits, not missing values that can be safely filled with PC settings or results from another game. A useful recommendation can still be made: Performance is the responsiveness choice, Quality is the fidelity choice, and neither should be described as a locked frame rate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do the editions differ in storage and purchase terms?
Nintendo’s 2026 listings show a 6 GB file size for Expanded Edition and 2.2 GB for the original Switch Edition. Those are listing figures, not measurements of loading time or performance.
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Paradox’s October 28 launch notice gave Expanded Edition a suggested US retail price of $49 and a 10% launch discount through November 10, 2026. Nintendo’s US listing displayed a sale end of November 11, 2026, at 07:59 UTC. Because those endpoints are expressed differently, check the live store for the price and local timing before purchasing.
Paradox also announced a 70% loyalty discount for eligible existing Switch owners from October 28, 2026, through April 28, 2027. Eligibility is limited, so an existing copy should not be assumed to receive the discount automatically.
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- Choose Performance if you pan and rotate constantly, care about responsive menus, or would rather accept upscaling and adjusted quality than aim for the highest image fidelity.
- Choose Quality if you sit close to a large display, value the fidelity priority, and are comfortable with a 30 FPS target.
- Choose the original Switch Edition only when you specifically want that separate release and its After Dark and Snowfall content; it is not the route to Expanded Edition’s graphics selector.
- Change your control method independently. A keyboard and mouse can supplement traditional controllers, but it does not alter either graphics target.
How we picked the recommendation
The recommendation follows the published descriptions rather than an in-house test: Paradox’s stated 60 FPS and 30 FPS targets, each mode’s described image-processing priority, Nintendo’s separate edition listings, and the absence of official resolution and stability benchmarks. The handheld observation is identified separately as CGMagazine’s October 26, 2026 review, not as a site measurement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a physical Expanded Edition game card?
Nintendo’s cited listings identify both the original Switch Edition and Expanded Edition as digital products. No verified physical Expanded Edition card is established here, so check the current Nintendo eShop listing rather than assuming a boxed release exists.
How much storage space does each Switch 2 listing require?
Nintendo lists Expanded Edition at 6 GB and the original Switch Edition at 2.2 GB. Those numbers describe the listed game-file sizes; they do not predict frame rate, loading behavior, or the space required for future updates.
When does the Expanded Edition launch discount end?
Paradox announced a 10% launch discount through November 10, 2026, while Nintendo’s US listing showed a sale ending November 11, 2026, at 07:59 UTC. Because the dates use different expressions, verify the checkout page for your region before relying on either deadline.
Do existing Switch owners automatically receive the loyalty price?
No automatic entitlement is established. Paradox announced a 70% offer for eligible existing Switch owners from October 28, 2026, through April 28, 2027; eligibility must be confirmed in the live store account and purchase flow.
Quick Recap
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