Nintendo privately demos Nintendo Switch 2 at Gamescom 2023

Vine-gar · Sep 7, 2023

After years of uncertainty about Nintendo's new console, an island of truth about the Switch's successor has emerged from the fog. VGC and Eurogamer have independently confirmed that, "Nintendo privately showed invited developers specially prepared tech demos for its next-generation games console." One of these demos used a modified version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild running at a higher framerate and resolution.

Eurogamer said:
Developer presentations for Switch 2 took place behind closed doors, Eurogamer understands, with partners shown tech demos of how well the system is designed to run.

One Switch 2 demo is a souped up version of Switch launch title Zelda: Breath of the Wild, designed to hit the Switch 2's beefier target specs. (To be clear, though - this is just a tech demo. There's no suggestion the game will be re-released.)

VGC said:
Another VGC source claimed that Nintendo showcased Epic’s impressive The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo – originally released to showcase the power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2021 – running on target specs for its next console. 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).

DLSS (deep learning super sampling) is a feature exclusive to Nvidia graphics cards. On PC, it works by using AI to upscale the resolution of games, effectively allowing developers to achieve higher graphical settings and better frame rates on weaker hardware. According to Digital Foundry analysis, DLSS at any normal screen distance “looks almost as good as the real thing.”

SOURCES
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sources-nintendo-showed-switch-2-demos-at-gamescom/
https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-demoed-switch-2-to-developers-at-gamescom

DragonMals · Sep 7, 2023

I don't know why they chose BOTW, but I hope this does open for new things!

Vine-gar · Sep 7, 2023

@Prans I think there's some meat on the bone here! I'm not late to the story, am I?

Delerious · Sep 7, 2023

It's basically sounding more and more like a portable PS4, but with some of NVIDIA's bells and whistles. It does actually open up some new avenues for Nintendo if this is the case, and I would hope that whatever ports we see in the future end up becoming better versions than what older consoles got. I'm especially looking forward to seeing what Nintendo themselves end up creating. On that note, too, there should be no more excuses for Gamefreak to be releasing visual garbage at this point.

Bladexdsl · Sep 7, 2023

Delerious · Sep 7, 2023

Bladexdsl said:
I'll believe it when i see it this sounds just like a fucking switch U

Eh, if anything, it's more like what the 3DS was to the NDS, minus the 3D and dual screens. Let's face it, the Switch has only ever been a portable system. Sure, you can connect it to a TV, but if it looks like a portable system, plays like a portable system, is portable like a portable system and has the specs of a portable system, it probably is a portable system.

WalterSlovotsky · Sep 7, 2023

I believe that Nintendo's next console will be the first and only time in my life that I will pre-order a console.

I plan to buy two of them, knowing how badly Nintendo sucks at security.

Still haven't bought a PS5 because there still isn't a single system-seller on that platform for me. I have faith that Nintendo will do better the next round.

NyaakoXD · Sep 7, 2023

WalterSlovotsky said:
I plan to buy two of them, knowing how badly Nintendo sucks at security.

I wouldn't say their security sucks, per se. Iirc, the Horizon OS is pretty solid and there's still no way to software hack the Switch without needing a jig (V1) or a modchip (V2/OLED).
The only reason the Switch was so easily hacked in the first place is because the Tegra X1 chip had a huge hardware exploit that NVIDIA left out and was already documented heavily beforehand along with many other things.
The next console may be even harder to mess with now that they've likely learned their lessons on the hardware design AND there isn't that much documentation on the SoC the next console will be using.

WalterSlovotsky · Sep 7, 2023

LinkmstrYT said:
I wouldn't say their security sucks, per se. Iirc, the Horizon OS is pretty solid and there's still no way to software hack the Switch without needing a jig (V1) or a modchip (V2/OLED).
The only reason the Switch was so easily hacked in the first place is because the Tegra X1 chip had a huge hardware exploit that NVIDIA left out and was already documented heavily beforehand along with many other things.
The next console may be even harder to mess with now that they've likely learned their lessons on the hardware design AND there isn't that much documentation on the SoC the next console will be using.

Oh, I remember the early days of the Switch, and the interminable wait for a 3DS hack. I still have my old Gateway card.

Got into the Switch late, but lucked out with a soft-moddable console, so mine has had hacks available from the first day I owned it.

Nintendo has historically always been the first one to fall, though. I remember having to painstakingly add each and every ROM to VHBL on the Vita before there was a true mod for that system, and had all but given up on ever modding my PS4 until that one finally came through. I even paid someone to mod my XBox 360 before there were any softmods for that, and had to buy a special DVD burner than could burn dual layer discs.

But that's half the fun. I have more than one system that I completely lost interest in once I had the keys to the candy store.

SeventhSon7 · Sep 7, 2023

will this be the version with Denuvo?

The Catboy · Sep 8, 2023

If Nintendo walks in and plops a fucking Unreal remake of BOTW, I will lose my shit.

master801 · Sep 8, 2023

The Catboy said:
If Nintendo walks in and plops a fucking Unreal remake of BOTW, I will lose my shit.

In my opinion, Nintendo's first party titles using Unreal Engine loses its charm.

Was excited for Pikmin 4 - until I found out it uses Unreal Engine and not their proprietary engine. While I understand it's cheaper, easier and quicker to just use an off-the-shelf engine, it's disappointing because we know they weren't putting all their effort into making the game.

DragonMals · Sep 8, 2023

master801 said:
In my opinion, Nintendo's first party titles using Unreal Engine loses its charm.

Was excited for Pikmin 4 - until I found out it uses Unreal Engine and not their proprietary engine. While I understand it's cheaper, easier and quicker to just use an off-the-shelf engine, it's disappointing because we know they weren't putting all their effort into making the game.

But look at the good sides-- with it being made in Unreal, similar to Pokémon Gen I remakes with it using Unity, people could make mods for the game making the game even better. Idk if Unreal works like that, the possibilities are there

The Catboy · Sep 8, 2023

master801 said:
In my opinion, Nintendo's first party titles using Unreal Engine loses its charm.

Was excited for Pikmin 4 - until I found out it uses Unreal Engine and not their proprietary engine. While I understand it's cheaper, easier and quicker to just use an off-the-shelf engine, it's disappointing because we know they weren't putting all their effort into making the game.

That’s why I will lose my shit. It would be funny as fuck, sad as fuck, and all around just the most unNintendo thing for them to do. Which is why I hope my joke doesn’t happen because I really don’t want to be right