Although the Nintendo Switch is undeniably successful, the console has its fair proportion of critics. The graphical prowess of Nintendo’s hybrid handheld couldn’t really compete with that of the Xbox or PlayStation, but a latest patent suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 won’t have that problem. This patent shows a system that would upscale resolution to as high as 4K — without native 4K textures.
The technology is analogous to existing tools, like Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) or AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). In theory, Nintendo’s patent would make it possible to maintain game sizes smaller while still achieving gorgeous scenery and gameplay. For instance, a 1080p game might need 25GB of storage, while a 4K game might need 75GB. A Nintendo Switch cartridge can only store as much as 32GB of knowledge, so 4K is out — unless it’s artificially scaled up, in line with analyst Laura Kate Dale.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is all but guaranteed to be backward compatible with existing games, so maintaining compatibility with existing cartridges is sensible. Next-gen games will only grow larger and more complex, so technology that addresses the cartridge bottleneck is an inevitability.
Documentation shows the patent was filed in 2023, but is simply just now going public. With Nintendo’s self-appointed deadline of March 31, 2025, approaching, the corporate is running out of time to make an official announcement for the Switch 2. Nevertheless, it’s likely going to occur sooner reasonably than later given the surge in leaks and rumors over the past few weeks.
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Nintendo is famously litigious toward anything that encroaches on its properties — just take a look at Palworld — and likes to take care of control of the narrative. These leaks could lead on to an sooner than planned reveal of the Switch 2. Great news for fans, but unlucky for the corporate.
We still have little to no official information regarding the console, and Nintendo isn’t prone to hand that out until its own announcement. Take these rumors with some skepticism, and don’t cite them as fact just yet.
