This Switch 2 Feature Could Be A Game Changer For Both New & Old Titles

The Nintendo Switch has a lot going for it, but there’s no denying it’s lacking in power. While the Switch 2 isn’t likely to be a massive step forward, one recent report suggests that Nintendo could be using a popular PC feature to boost its performance. And while it hasn’t been officially confirmed, it could even make some games for the current Switch look better on Nintendo’s next handheld.

Nintendo filed a patent for a new graphics technology back in July 2023, which was published online in late December and spotted by VGC. The patent describes a type of AI-based image upscaling akin to the DLSS system on some Nvidia graphics cards, which can increase the resolution of games beyond what a PC’s hardware could otherwise support.

According to the patent, one use of the new technology would be to deliver games with smaller file sizes. Since the upscaling process would be handled by the Switch 2 hardware, developers could include textures at a lower resolution than they’re intended to be viewed at and rely on the console itself to upscale them. That could prevent some of the file size increases that have been seen across PC, PlayStation and Xbox games, allowing Switch 2 releases to fit on cartridges and reduce the amount of time it takes to download new games from the eShop.

If the upscaling technology appears on the Switch 2, it would likely be used primarily to make new games look better while taking up less hard drive space. However, Nintendo has already confirmed that the Switch 2 will be backward compatible with original Switch games. That means it’s possible that existing games will benefit from the hardware, too. On PC, plenty of developers have added DLSS support to their games after release, and a similar system on the PS5 Pro allows some games to look and perform better on the upgraded console.

It’s not a given that all original Switch games will get an upgrade on the Switch 2, since taking advantage of the upscaling feature would require some work from their developers. So while not every game will be improved, it’s much more likely that first-party titles will receive a boost. Take for example The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

While gorgeous in their own right, the massive, open-world version of Hyrule did lead to some graphical issues in both games. Both have short draw distances, resulting in environmental details seemingly popping into existence as Link approaches, and both have comparatively blurry textures. In especially detailed parts of the map, frame rates in both games can struggle. The technology described in Nintendo’s new patent could hypothetically be used to increase the quality of textures without a performance hit, which could in turn leave more processing power to eliminate problems with pop-in and increase the games’ frame rate.

Nintendo filing this patent doesn’t necessarily mean the technology will appear in the new console, but it’s not the first time talk of Switch games being improved on the new hardware has emerged. In 2023, Eurogamer reported that Nintendo had shown some developers tech demos of games running on an early version of the Switch 2. One of those demos reportedly included a retooled version of Breath of the Wild that takes advantage of the improved hardware. That doesn’t mean that version of Breath of the Wild will appear in the same form on the Switch 2, but it could suggest that Nintendo is already working on upgrades for some of the Switch’s biggest hits.

Until Nintendo reveals the actual specs of the Switch 2, we can only speculate on its capabilities. However, the technology described by the new patent seems highly likely to actually make its way into the handheld, unlike some of the wilder rumors of Nintendo’s plans floating around. Not only is the patent confirmed to come from Nintendo, but it’s also a version of a technology currently used by multiple other hardware makers, and a feature that would address one of the most frequent criticisms of the Switch while keeping hardware costs down for Nintendo itself. The Nintendo Switch 2 is planned for an official reveal before the end of March 2025, and the latest patent could make the announcement even more exciting when it arrives.