Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 with DLSS
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is officially coming to Nintendo's new console. It is bringing some serious tech along with it.
CD Projekt Red Confirms the DLSS Magic
The news is confirmed. CD Projekt Red, the wizards who brought us Cyberpunk 2077, have confirmed to the tech gurus at Digital Foundry that DLSS is indeed being utilized in the Switch 2 version. That's not just for TV docked mode. It's running even when playing in the go handheld mode. Whether you're aiming for the best looking in "Quality" mode or cut framerates for smoother play in "Performance" mode, DLSS is there, spreading its upscaling magic.
Digital Foundry Investigates: Visual Proof Remains Elusive
Digital Foundry, keepers of the arcane details of game tech, went through what was on offer with a magnifying glass. They were on the lookout for the giveaway signs of upscaling – those softly blurred edges or telltale artifacts that so often creep in. But curiously, they simply couldn't appear to see very compelling proof of DLSS in action.
Why the mystery? Perhaps it is because of a couple of reasons. The game footage itself could have some motion blur that smooths out the finer details. And further, when DLSS is targeting lower output resolutions (as it will likely be in handheld mode), those subtle visual indicators are even harder to notice with the naked eye. But in spite of the visual vagueness, the guarantee from CD Projekt Red is concrete.
Performance Targets for Switch 2
Here is what CD Projekt Red has had to say regarding their ambitions for performance:
Docked Mode:
- Quality Mode: A stable 30 frames per second (fps) at 1080p resolution.
- Performance Mode: A smoother 40 fps, also at 1080p, most likely with a 120Hz output to compatible displays.
- DLSS is key: Both modes rely on DLSS to help achieve these resolutions and frame rates.
Handheld Mode:
- Quality Mode: Still aiming at 30 fps, but reaching for a remarkably sharp 1080p on the handheld screen.
- Performance Mode: To reach that 40 fps threshold in handheld, the resolution will likely dip to 720p.
It's also worth noting that dynamic resolution scaling is in effect. This would have the game dynamically change the resolution in real-time to maintain things running, from potentially lower resolutions all the way up to the intended resolutions stated above. This dynamic realignment is crucial to maintaining the game running smoothly, especially in more graphics-heavy scenes.
The Verdict: An Interesting Technical Achievement
Cyberpunk 2077 on the Nintendo Switch 2 is set to be an interesting technical achievement. The fact that DLSS is a go is important. This means Nvidia's upscaling tech is going to be the key to unlocking even more out of the Switch 2's graphics than we had thought. Whether or not you can clearly see DLSS in action now is not necessarily going to be an issue versus the performance goals being bandied about. Getting a playable and even somewhat smooth Cyberpunk 2077 experience on a handheld is already pretty impressive.
We will not know just how well this all holds up until Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition drops on the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th. One thing for sure: it's going to be a pretty interesting launch day for both the console and this ambitious game.
