Nintendo has confirmed the Switch 2 makes use of DLSS and ray tracing expertise, however has but to enter element on how precisely, or present them off.
Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is an AI-powered expertise that makes use of machine studying to upscale lower-resolution pictures in real-time, enhancing each efficiency and picture high quality in video games.
This week’s hour-long Nintendo Direct revealed a lot concerning the $449.99 Switch 2, however Nintendo has saved technical info to a minimal. Even within the official Nintendo Switch 2 tech specs there may be solely affirmation that the console makes use of a “customized processor” made by Nvidia, and no extra element.
In a hardware-focused roundtable Q&A in New York yesterday, attended by IGN, Nintendo representatives confirmed the Switch 2 makes use of DLSS, however didn’t specify which model of the tech, or whether or not it had been custom-made for Switch 2.
Takuhiro Dohta, senior director of the Programming Management Group Entertainment Planning & Development Department, at Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning & Development Division, confirmed:
“We use DLSS upscaling expertise and that is one thing that we have to use as we develop video games.
“And with regards to the {hardware}, it is ready to output to a TV at a max of 4K. Whether the software program developer goes to make use of that as a local decision or get it to upscale is one thing that the software program developer can select. I feel it opens up quite a lot of choices for the software program developer to select from.”
It was a equally obscure response when Dohta confirmed the Switch 2’s GPU is able to ray tracing. “Yes the GPU does help ray tracing,” he mentioned. “As with DLSS, I consider this supplies but another choice for the software program developer to make use of and a software for them.”
And what concerning the GPU itself? Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager at Nintendo’s Technology Development Division, and Senior Director at its Technology Development Department, chimed in to say Nintendo prefers to not get within the weeds on issues just like the GPU.
“Nintendo does not share an excessive amount of on the {hardware} spec,” he mentioned. “What we actually wish to give attention to is the worth that we will present to our shoppers. But I do consider that our companion Nvidia shall be sharing some info.”
In January, the web noticed a patent, filed July 2023 however revealed for the primary time earlier this yr, that describes AI picture upscaling expertise that might assist preserve online game obtain sizes sufficiently small to suit on a bodily recreation cartridge whereas providing as much as 4K textures. The patent describes expertise much like Nvidia’s DLSS, or PlayStation 5 Pro‘s PSSR, to upscale pictures utilizing AI.
For extra, take a look at the whole lot introduced on the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and what the consultants must say concerning the Switch 2 value and Mario Kart World’s $80 price ticket.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
