Nvidia has officially confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature support for ray-tracing and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), marking a significant leap in visual fidelity and performance for Nintendo’s next-generation console. This announcement was shared in an official blog post detailing the console’s upgraded hardware capabilities.
According to Nvidia, the Nintendo Switch 2 is powered by a custom processor featuring an Nvidia GPU with dedicated RT (Ray Tracing) Cores and Tensor Cores. These components enable advanced graphical enhancements, such as real-time ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows, while AI-driven upscaling with DLSS improves image quality without sacrificing performance. The blog post highlights that the new console can deliver up to 4K resolution in TV mode and achieve 120 FPS at 1080p in handheld mode, all while supporting HDR for enhanced color and contrast.
Beyond visual upgrades, the Nintendo Switch 2 is designed to provide smoother gameplay experiences. Nvidia claims the console offers “10 times the graphics performance” of the original Nintendo Switch, ensuring higher frame rates and improved responsiveness. Additional features include Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) via Nvidia G-SYNC in handheld mode, allowing for fluid and tear-free gameplay. Tensor Cores will also be utilized for AI-powered face tracking and background removal in video chat applications, suggesting expanded social gaming and streaming capabilities.
For developers, Nvidia has outlined enhanced tools, APIs, and optimized game engines to streamline the development process. These improvements are expected to lead to more visually impressive and technically refined games for the Nintendo Switch 2. However, while ray-tracing support is now confirmed, it appears that none of the launch titles will utilize this feature at release. Developers will likely need to enable it on a case-by-case basis for their games.
Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch worldwide on June 5, 2025, with a retail price of $449.
