Epic Promises a Breakthrough: Unreal Engine 5.8 to Boost Games Even on Switch 2

Epic Games released Unreal Engine 5.8, describing it as the most efficient version of the engine to date.

This update builds on the performance gains seen in version 5.7, which improved GPU performance by 25% and CPU performance by 35%.

The Lumen global illumination system now includes a mode called Lumen Lite. Developers optimized this feature for lower-end hardware, including the Switch 2.

The engine also features improved shader caching on PC. This change reduces compilation times and minimizes micro-stuttering during gameplay.

Epic Games added an experimental feature called Mesh Terrain. It allows developers to build game world geometry quickly while maintaining visual quality and performance efficiency.

Developers can access Unreal Engine 5.8 tools via GitHub.