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Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is one of those situations in which we know this is a good game and story, but we need to give it a few weeks or months to get to that point. Owlcat Games brought the turn-based strategy game to the Switch 2 just before 2025 ended, making it the company’s first title on the system. Just like the launch on other platforms, it wasn’t entirely smooth! But since one major patch is already out and we did see updates on the original releases, I think we could eventually hit a point after a substantial period of time when Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader could worth playing on the Switch 2.
After creating our character in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (don’t worry, as a bug that kept me from actually doing that a few times due to a crash is gone now), we learn we inherited the ability to become a Rogue Trader for the Imperium of Man. After a bit of a kerfuffle when actually claiming the legacy of the Von Valancius family and getting the Warrant of Trade, we soon wind up with the right to explore and trade in the Koronus Expanse. For those unfamiliar with the series, it’s an opportunity to go through an over 60-hour, turn-based RPG with recruitable characters, choices that actually matter, and even an opportunity to romance some of the companions you recruit.
Since the first patch for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is already on the Switch 2, I’m only going to be going over what’s making it worthwhile and what needs improvement. Know that it is an essential update. When I first played, the game crashed as I was going through character creation. After downloading the patch, I tried going through that again and didn’t encounter the bug. That’s not an issue anymore! But there are both some benefits and lingering issues that come up and suggest it’s worth maybe waiting another month.
One of the biggest benefits to the latest adjustments is that Owlcat added mouse support for the Switch 2 version of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. It’s genuinely a godsend for some strategic games on the system, and using a Joy-Con 2 in that way is quite helpful here. It’s okay with traditional controls as well, especially if you’re in handheld mode.
I would say handheld mode isn’t the optimal way to play, at least not now. Which is unfortunate, as that should be one of the draws when coming to Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader on a Switch 2 due to issues with it running on a Steam Deck. One part of the problem is it just doesn’t look great. The resolution is really bad, especially on character models, though that is supposedly something on Owlcat’s to-do list in terms of future updates. It also could use some framerate adjustments. Some did already come through with the patch back on December 18, 2025! It did make a difference and result in a more playable game, but it still feels like I’m hitting 15-30fps instead of a stable 30fps. But then, this is an issue even when docked, as is an issue with long load times, so I suppose we can’t blame it all on Handheld Mode.
However, maybe the biggest issue I’ve seen firsthand aside from an occasional crash is that the Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader has major menu problems at the moment. Aside from them being slow to navigate, I can’t even move and make selections unless I use the mouse controls. But not being able to actually use controls to navigate the in-game menus is a pretty big problem, and I was surprised a hotfix didn’t come in ahead of a more major patch even with the holiday season.
We already know Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a great game on other platforms, but it is not there yet on the Switch 2. Will it eventually be ready? I think at one point in a few months we could see it being preferable to trying to play it on a handheld gaming PC. But things like menu navigation problems, framerate issues, character model resolutions, the loading situation, and crashes need to be fixed first. I’d recommend stalking the official subreddit and waiting for at least another two updates before considering a purchase.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is now available on the Switch 2, and it can also be found on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
