Which is the best version of Disco Elysium? Switch 2, PS5 Pro, PC, Xbox, Switch, PS4, and Steam Deck compared

This week marks the 5th anniversary of Disco Elysium – The Final Cut! The acclaimed RPG originally launched on PC, and was later enhanced with ‘The Final Cut,’ which came to both PlayStation and PC with a significant free update. To celebrate, I’ve created a detailed guide comparing all the different versions of the game – looking at graphics, performance, features, loading speeds, and more. As a big fan of Disco Elysium, it was great revisiting the game on various platforms. While I’m still hoping to see one long-standing bug fixed, my goal with this guide is to help you choose the best version to play, or perhaps encourage you to revisit this fantastic game yourself.

Disco Elysium and The Final Cut release timeline

Over the past five years, Disco Elysium has been released on many different systems, and before diving into those versions and how they differ, it’s helpful to understand its path to getting here.

October 2019: Disco Elysium debuts on PC.
April 2020: Disco Elysium launches for macOS.
March 2021: Disco Elysium – The Final Cut launches for PS5, PS4, macOS, PC, and Stadia. This version added full voice acting, fast travel, higher resolution visuals, controller support, and more.
October 2021: Disco Elysium – The Final Cut launches for Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.
August 2025: Disco Elysium gets an Android release, but it isn’t a port of the game as is. It features many changes to streamline the experience. It is yet to release on iOS.

At the beginning, I said I’d be looking at almost all versions of Disco Elysium, and that’s because I don’t have an Xbox One or Android device. So, my comparison will include everything else.

Disco Elysium – The Final Cut feature differences across platforms

As a huge fan, I was so excited when Disco Elysium – The Final Cut came out! It added a ton of fantastic voice acting, let you fast travel, and even added controller support on PC, plus the graphics got a nice boost. Honestly, it’s the definitive way to experience the game. Just be aware that what it looks and feels like will change a little depending on what you’re playing on. Also, just to keep things simple, from now on when I talk about Disco Elysium, I’m referring to The Final Cut version – that’s the only version available on consoles and the current PC version anyway.

Disco Elysium offers enhanced controller features on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, with detailed vibrations thanks to the DualSense and HD Rumble technologies. While the Xbox and PC versions also have vibration, it’s not as immersive. The Switch version lets you use touchscreen controls, and the PC version supports a variety of input methods, including ultrawide monitors.

Disco Elysium visual and performance differences across PS5 Pro, Switch 2, Xbox Series X, PS4, Switch, Steam Deck, and PC

Disco Elysium aims for 30 frames per second on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 4 Pro. Even if played on newer consoles like the PlayStation 5 or a potential Switch 2, the game remains capped at 30fps. The Switch struggles to consistently hit this target, often dropping below it. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions aim for 60fps and generally maintain that speed, though it’s not a perfectly locked 60fps. After spending many hours playing on Xbox Series X, and revisiting the game on PlayStation 5 and the new PS5 Pro, I didn’t notice any significant frame rate drops in the areas I tested.

The PC version of the game offers higher frame rates and supports various input methods, including ultrawide monitors – it looks fantastic at 21:9. Aside from these technical improvements, the game’s story, content, and features are identical on all platforms.

Before I dive into details about each console version and the PC version, I want to mention something about how the game’s camera moves and scrolls. When I first played Disco Elysium on PC, the movement felt strange, and I initially blamed my laptop’s performance. While it felt better on the PS5, something still didn’t quite feel right. It turns out the issue was a technical problem with the game’s physics in Unity, which Digital Foundry has explained in detail.

The camera movement in the PC and console versions of the game feels unnatural. It’s especially jarring on systems targeting 30 frames per second, but even on powerful hardware like a PC at 144hz or a PS5 Pro at 60fps, it doesn’t feel smooth. The fix is to limit the frame rate to 50hz or 100hz through your monitor or graphics card settings, which finally makes the camera movement fluid. On the Steam Deck, you can easily do this through the Quick Access Menu by setting it to 50hz, instantly resolving the issue. Because this fix is primarily available on PC, I only replay the Steam version of Disco Elysium, and I’m hoping to see these improvements implemented in the game generally and on consoles as well.

Disco Elysium load times compared across PS5 Pro, Switch 2, Xbox, PS4, Steam Deck, PC, and Switch 1

To check how quickly Disco Elysium loads, I tested it on several different systems. I played the PS4 version on both a PS4 Pro and a PS5 (using an external hard drive). I also tested the PS5 version on the PS5’s internal storage, as well as on a PS5 Pro. Additionally, I tested the Xbox version on an Xbox Series X, the Switch version on a Switch OLED (using an SD card) and a Switch 2, and the Steam version on both a Steam Deck and a ROG Ally.

I tested how long it took to load the game’s dashboard from the start screen and also an existing save file on each platform. All load times are listed in seconds. Where there’s a range, that shows the fastest and slowest times I recorded over several tests in recent weeks. The ROG Ally occasionally had significantly longer loading times, but I didn’t see this issue with other games during the same testing period.

Platform	Dashboard to title	Loading a save
PS5 Pro	18	3-4
PS5	18	3-4
PS4 on PS5 HDD	41	3
PS4 Pro	65	10-12
Xbox Series X	36	4
Steam Deck	35	3-4
ROG Ally	30-32	5-13*
NS	85	11-12
NS on NS2 Internal	41	5-6

Okay, so I’ve been testing Disco Elysium on a bunch of different systems. As you’d guess, the PS5 loads everything the fastest, and the older consoles definitely take the longest. The Switch 2 version is a nice step up from playing on the original Switch, which is cool to see. I’m hoping they can fix the loading times on the ROG Ally, though. Honestly, if you’re playing on any current-gen console, you shouldn’t have any major issues with loading times – it all runs pretty smoothly.

Disco Elysium tested on Nintendo Switch 2 handheld boost mode

I’ve been testing how the new Switch 2 ‘Handheld Boost Mode’ improves older Switch games. While games like Disco Elysium could benefit from better graphics on all platforms, the original Switch version looked quite poor. Thankfully, the boost mode makes a big difference, providing a much smoother and clearer visual experience than the standard Switch port. If you don’t have a handheld PC, this update significantly improves the game’s performance and clarity on the Switch, as you can see in the comparison below.

Keep in mind that turning on boost mode will turn off the touchscreen, so you won’t be able to use touch controls while playing on the go. I’m hoping the game gets a dedicated Switch 2 version that can run at a smooth 100 frames per second in handheld mode, or at least one that improves the camera quality with better resolution when played on a TV.

Disco Elysium PS5 Pro impressions

Disco Elysium on PS5 is a native game and doesn’t have any special improvements for the PS5 Pro. After comparing the opening hour on both consoles, I couldn’t see any visual differences, and load times were identical when using the internal storage. However, performance is noticeably better on the PS5 Pro, with fewer frame rate drops in the areas I tested. Even without official upgrades, Disco Elysium runs best and most reliably on the PS5 Pro compared to other console versions.

Which is the best version of Disco Elysium?

Right now, the Steam Deck offers the best way to play Disco Elysium on the go. For playing on a TV or monitor, the PC version is generally superior. It benefits from adjustable camera controls, stable performance, ultrawide screen support, and compatibility with any controller. On consoles, the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro provide the best experience, with Xbox versions being decent but having slower loading times.

I especially love playing the game on the Steam Deck OLED. It avoids the camera problems of other versions and has a fantastic touchscreen and button-supported display.

Which version of Disco Elysium should you buy to play today?

Since everyone values different things, I’ll wrap up this article by outlining the pros and cons of each version of Disco Elysium that I have, along with some information about the physical releases.

Disco Elysium on PS4 and PS5: If you want to play on your TV and don’t care about portable play (unless you stream to a PlayStation Portal or phone), this is the version to get and the best console version. It has the fastest loading and is solid across the board especially on PS5 Pro. The PS4 version is available physically at retail while the PS5 version was not released outside select stores and locations if you care about that.
Disco Elysium on Switch: If you value portability above everything and don’t own a PC handheld, this is the one to get, but it is not a stable experience on Switch 1. When played via boost mode on Switch 2 handheld, it is a better experience, but I still wouldn’t recommend it here unless you have no other platform or version of the game. The Switch physical release is available in many parts of the world.
Disco Elysium on Xbox: If you have access to a PC handheld or play on Xbox Series consoles and PC, the Play Anywhere feature is a big selling point in addition to the Quick Resume feature on Xbox, but the longer initial load time holds this one back a bit. The Xbox physical seems to be harder to find now so I would grab it sooner than later if I were you and wanted to own this version physically.
Disco Elysium on Steam: This is my favorite version and what I consider the best with how you can easily fix the scrolling issue and also get the best portable experience on Steam Deck or play it on an ultrawide or just higher resolution display at home on your main PC or Mac.

Hopefully, this information helps you choose where to buy Disco Elysium, or encourages you to play or replay it if you already own it. While it would be nice to see the camera issues fixed, that seems unlikely. Regardless, Disco Elysium remains a must-play RPG that people will be discussing for years to come.

You can now play Disco Elysium on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and computers running Windows, Mac, or Linux (via Steam, GOG, and the Mac App Store).

2026-03-31 22:29