The rumor began circulating after EuroGamer revealed that Nintendo may have introduced a successor to the Switch, informally known as “Switch 2,” during a private presentation to a select group of game developers at last month’s highly attended Gamescom event. According to reports, Nintendo displayed technical demonstrations for their upcoming next-generation console, scheduled for release next year.
Although EuroGamer’s report ends there, VideoGameChronicles promptly reached out to its insider contacts for verification. According to their sources, Nintendo is in the process of developing an upgraded version of “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” that will feature improved frame rates and resolution, tailored for the rumored Switch 2. While precise resolution specifics remain undisclosed, it’s widely anticipated that the Switch 2 will provide a higher resolution than the existing model, which currently supports a resolution of only 1200×720 pixels.
The Report claims that Nintendo showcased a tech demonstration using Unreal Engine 5 titled “Matrix Awakens.” This demo had previously gained recognition on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, highlighting the capabilities of the improved engine. Notably, this demonstration reportedly incorporated NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology, which has been a subject of persistent speculation regarding its integration into the upcoming Switch console.
Another VGC source claimed that Nintendo showcased Epic’s impressive The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo […] The demo is said to have been running using Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology, with advanced ray tracing enabled and visuals comparable to Sony‘s and Microsoft’s current-gen consoles (however, it should be noted this does not mean the Switch successor will sport raw power anywhere near that of PS5 or Xbox Series X, which aren’t portable devices).
— Andy Robinson, VideoGameChronices
It’s worth highlighting that the current Switch utilizes an NVIDIA System on a Chip (SoC) based on the aging Maxwell architecture. Additionally, the report strengthens previous conjectures regarding upscaling when the purported new console is connected to its docking station. While the current model achieves Full-HD resolution when docked, it’s logical to expect 4K support with the upcoming console.
It’s important to note that these sources claim Nintendo has already provided development kits to specific studios, indicating that the new console seems to be on schedule for a 2024 release. Furthermore, the report hints that the initial launch of the Switch 2 might opt for cost-effective LCD technology instead of OLED.
Although the precise specifications of the NVIDIA SoC for this system are not revealed, the potential inclusion of DLSS Frame Generation support would represent a substantial improvement for this energy-efficient console. Such a development could position it as a direct competitor to powerful systems based on AMD Zen4/RDNA3 architecture, which are expected to evolve into Zen5/RDNA3.5 architecture next year.
Via EuroGamer, VideoGameChronicles