The Nintendo Switch 2 will support NVIDIA DLSS, as previously confirmed, but the AI-powered upscaler won't be the only option available, nor will it be mandatory to use upscaling in any way.
Speaking with IGN, Nintendo’s Entertainment Planning and Development Department's Kouchi Kawamoto and Takuhiro Dohta and Technology Development Division's Tetsuya Sasaki talked about upscaling options for the new system, revealing that, while NVIDIA DLSS will be the "easiest" upscaling option to use in games, the company is planning on providing other software-based upscaling solutions. In addition, the Nintendo representatives highlighted how not using any upscaling solution is also an option. Considering how using DLSS has a cost, we are likely going to use a wide variety of upscaling solutions to hit whichever frame rate targets developers aim for in their games.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will also support ray tracing, but much like NVIDIA DLSS and other upscaling solutions, developers won't be required to implement it in their games, as Nintendo considers ray tracing just another tool that can either be used or not depending on the situation. Considering how demanding ray tracing can get and how the console won't be the most powerful gaming system around, this isn't particularly surprising.
Besides supporting NVIDIA DLSS and ray tracing, one feature that sets the Nintendo Switch 2 apart from its predecessor is the mouse functionality of the Joy-Con 2 controllers. Speaking with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience Bill Trinen commented on the new functionality, saying how, having been added on top of the other unique features of the Joy-Con 2 controllers, it is different from that of a regular PC mouse, opening up some interesting possibilities like using dual mouse controls that he hopes third-party developers will take advantage of to evolve their gameplay. He also hopes that having this control option will make PC developers a lot more eager to want to bring their games to the console, as they wouldn't have to revamp control schemes.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launches worldwide on June 5th. You can learn more about the system by checking out Nathan's hands-on preview.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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