Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection arrives on Switch 2
Blizzard's Switch 2 edition of Diablo IV adds cross-progression, cross-play and two performance modes, including a 40fps option that needs a 120Hz display.
Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is out now on Nintendo Switch 2, and Blizzard has spelled out exactly how the portable version behaves. The bundle launched on the eShop on 15 September at $69.99 in the US and unlocks the Diablo IV base game alongside the Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred expansions, so Switch 2 owners can play the full Age of Hatred story arc from the start.
How Diablo IV runs on Switch 2
Blizzard's FAQ lists two graphics settings. Quality Mode targets 30 frames per second at 1080p in handheld mode and 30fps at 1440p when docked. Performance Mode lifts that to 40fps at 1080p in handheld play and 40fps at 1080p when docked, though the docked version of Performance Mode needs a compatible display with a refresh rate of 120Hz or higher. Those are targets rather than guarantees, and Blizzard does not break them down by scene or mode.
Touchscreen controls and GameChat
The Switch 2 edition supports touchscreen input for most menus, the map and the inventory. Joy-Con 2 mouse functionality is not supported, but a compatible mouse and keyboard can be connected over USB. Controller rumble is in, as are accessibility features including text-to-speech for the chat window, speech-to-text for voice chat and Speak for Me, which reads chat aloud. Diablo IV also hooks into the console's system-level GameChat so friends can share live gameplay scenes.
Cross-play, cross-progression and Switch Online
Cross-progression carries a character across supported platforms, and it does not require a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Cross-play, which lets Switch 2 players group up with friends elsewhere, does require an active membership. Without one, players keep the campaign and side quests, open-world activities, couch co-op, the Tower and leaderboards, and seasonal ranks and content. Diablo IV remains an online game, so an internet connection is required either way.
Our opinion
The interesting detail buried in the FAQ is the display requirement tacked onto docked Performance Mode. A 40fps target sounds like a modest win until you notice it only counts if you already own a 120Hz panel, which quietly splits the Switch 2 audience into those who get the smoother mode and those who cannot. Handheld play, where the screen is built in, avoids that problem entirely - a reminder that Nintendo's hybrid design often serves demanding games better undocked than on a television.
Bundling three campaigns at a single price is also a sensible pitch for players who missed Diablo IV the first time, and cross-progression without a subscription removes the usual console tax. The caveat is that Blizzard shipped this port after years of seasonal updates, so Switch 2 owners are buying into a live service that expects them to keep logging in - and to stay online while they do it.