How DLSS Makes Cyberpunk 2077 a work on Nintendo Switch 2

Cyberpunk 2077, a game known for pushing the limits of even high-end gaming PCs, is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. How is this seemingly impossible port achieved on a console with relatively modest hardware compared to systems designed with the game in mind, like the PS5, Xbox Series, and high-end PCs? Nvidia's AI-powered DLSS technology is a key factor, acting as a "game-changer" for the Switch 2.

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is an AI upscaling technology that leverages the GPU's Tensor Cores to improve performance and image quality in real time. It can take a frame rendered at a lower resolution and upscale it using AI to increase visual fidelity, allowing machines with modest specs to output frames at much higher resolutions than they are rendering internally. This technology also helps increase frame rates by generating additional frames.

Digital Foundry reports that the Switch 2 will support multiple DLSS modes, including DLAA, 1X, 2X, and 3X, which are likely equivalents to PC's performance, balanced, and quality presets. DLSS definitely increases the quality achievable on both handheld and TV modes. While the Switch 2 is not a high-end PC, DLSS, combined with other advancements like faster IO performance from UFS storage and MicroSD Express cards, and more RAM compared to previous generation consoles, helps the Cyberpunk 2077 version run better than it did on PS4 and Xbox One.

Join us as we delve into the technical challenges of bringing a demanding title like Cyberpunk 2077 to the Switch 2 and explore how DLSS acts as the key enabling technology, allowing players to experience this vast open world on Nintendo's new hybrid console.