Bloodstained Switch update ‘eliminates’ lag, reduces load times 70%

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night developer ArtPlay has released the first of two Nintendo Switch performance updates planned for November.

The long-awaited version 1.03 patch ‘eliminates’ input lag across the game and targets crashes and lengthy load times, the developer said in a Kickstarter update.

Loading times have been reduced significantly, by up to 70%, it said, while visual quality has also been improved.

“You will find the controls more responsive, making the game easier to navigate and enemies easier to fight,” it said.

“Overall stability has been improved throughout the game. We have addressed several specific situations that have been causing crashes, most notably when reading books from a bookcase.”

Visual quality has been improved so that “things look more clear and have more detail,” according to ArtPlay, who provided a number of comparison screenshots:

The second Switch graphical and performance update is planned for release before the end of the month. Version 1.04 will further improve performance with “a couple of especially troublesome areas and enemies.”

Ritual of the Night producer, Koji Igarashi recently suggested that performance issues present in the Switch version of the game at launch were the result of the logistical challenges of studio outsourcing.

“When you’re working with an outsourced studio, it can be difficult to match the quality line when things changed,” he said.

“With Bloodstained, we would first share our goal with the outsourced studio and make sure we both agree and determine the necessities, but even with proper planning it’s difficult to reach.”