Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Uses DLSS and Ray Tracing, but Is Being Super Vague About the Details

Nintendo has confirmed the Switch 2 uses DLSS and ray tracing technology, but has yet to spell into item connected however exactly, oregon amusement them off.

Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is an AI-powered exertion that uses instrumentality learning to upscale lower-resolution images successful real-time, enhancing some show and representation prime successful games.

This week’s hour-long Nintendo Direct revealed overmuch astir the Switch 2, but Nintendo has kept method accusation to a minimum. Even successful the authoritative Nintendo Switch 2 tech specs determination is lone confirmation that the console uses a “custom processor” made by Nvidia, and nary much detail.

In a hardware-focused roundtable Q&A successful New York yesterday, attended by IGN, Nintendo representatives confirmed the Switch 2 uses DLSS, but did not specify which mentation of the tech, oregon whether it had been customized for Switch 2.

Takuhiro Dohta, elder manager of the Programming Management Group Entertainment Planning & Development Department, astatine Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning & Development Division, confirmed:

“We usage DLSS upscaling exertion and that's thing that we request to usage arsenic we make games.

“And erstwhile it comes to the hardware, it is capable to output to a TV astatine a max of 4K. Whether the bundle developer is going to usage that arsenic a autochthonal solution oregon get it to upscale is thing that the bundle developer tin choose. I deliberation it opens up a batch of options for the bundle developer to take from.”

It was a likewise vague effect erstwhile Dohta confirmed the Switch 2’s GPU is susceptible of ray tracing. “Yes the GPU does enactment ray tracing,” helium said. “As with DLSS, I judge this provides yet different enactment for the bundle developer to usage and a instrumentality for them.”

And what astir the GPU itself? Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager astatine Nintendo’s Technology Development Division, and Senior Director astatine its Technology Development Department, chimed successful to accidental Nintendo prefers not to get successful the weeds connected things similar the GPU.

“Nintendo doesn't stock excessively overmuch connected the hardware spec,” helium said. “What we truly similar to absorption connected is the worth that we tin supply to our consumers. But I bash judge that our spouse Nvidia volition beryllium sharing immoderate information.”

In January, the net spotted a patent, filed July 2023 but published for the archetypal clip earlier this year, that describes AI representation upscaling exertion that would assistance support video crippled download sizes tiny capable to acceptable connected a carnal crippled cartridge portion offering up to 4K textures. The patent describes exertion akin to Nvidia's DLSS, oregon PlayStation 5 Pro's PSSR, to upscale images utilizing AI.

For more, cheque retired everything announced astatine the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and what the experts person to accidental astir the Switch 2 terms and Mario Kart World’s $80 terms tag.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].