After the unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 yesterday, Nintendo hosted a series of roundtable Q&A sessions in New York City, addressing fans’ questions about the new console. During these discussions, the company confirmed that the Switch 2 leverages Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and ray tracing technology, although they did not disclose specific details about its operation.
Earlier leaks had hinted that Nintendo would adopt some form of AI-driven upscaling technology—precisely what DLSS offers—to keep game sizes manageable enough for cartridges without compromising on 4K resolution. The integration of DLSS, which is a product of Nvidia, was confirmed along with the use of an Nvidia GPU in the Switch 2. Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager of Nintendo’s Technology Development Division, remarked, “Nintendo typically doesn’t disclose extensive hardware specifications. We prefer to concentrate on the value we can provide to our customers. However, I believe our partner Nvidia will be sharing more information.”
The use of DLSS could significantly expand possibilities for developers. Much like the abilities available on Xbox Series and PlayStation 5, there’s potential for games to feature both graphical fidelity and performance modes. Senior Director of the Programming Management Group, Takuhiro Dohta, stated, “We utilize DLSS upscaling technology, a necessity in our game development process.”
He elaborated that the hardware can output up to 4K resolution on TVs. “Whether a developer opts for native resolution or upscaling is their choice, but it certainly creates numerous options,” he noted. When questioned about ray tracing capabilities, Dohta confirmed that the GPU supports this technology, providing yet another tool for developers.
While Nintendo has shared a considerable amount of information, many specifics remain under wraps. It appears we may have to wait for an actual Switch 2 console to investigate internal components fully. Nevertheless, the confirmation of advanced graphic technologies like ray tracing and DLSS indicates a notable upgrade in power and suggests Nintendo could be narrowing the graphical gap with its competitors.
