Just a few hours ago, Nintendo of America released a “trailer” for their long awaited next gen console. Previously thought to be named Nintendo NX, today Nintendo’s three and a half minute trailer (which you can watch here) revealed its actual name: Nintendo Switch. Not surprisingly, following the release of the trailer, rumors and reports began to circulate around the new console, several of which revolved around the Nintendo Switch being powered by Nvidia graphics hardware.
However, unlike many other rumors that circulated in the months prior to today’s official unveiling – most rumors going around without any credible source or confirmation – Nvidia did quickly respond to these rumors, and they’ve confirmed that they will in fact be supporting the Nintendo Switch with their graphics hardware. According to blog posting on Nvidia, the first details about the chipset that will power the next Nintendo hybrid device were revealed.
Nvidia reportedly spent 500 man-years of effort to bring their graphics onto the Nintendo Switch. To get Nintendo to support their hardware, Nvidia needed to redesign and rethink every facet of creating a graphics chip for the new gaming platform, everything from algorithms, computer architecture, system design, system software, APIs, game engines to peripherals were redesigned.
The processor that will power the Switch will be a custom Tegra processor. It will include an Nvidia GPU based on the same architecture as the highly regarded and top-performing GeForce gaming graphics cards. The Tegra processor is a system-on-a-chip has also been used as the foundation for many consumer electronics, some of which include cutting-edge smartphones and the Nvidia Shield set-top box.
Nvidia also notes that the Nintendo Switch will also support custom software including a revamped physics game, new libraries, advanced game tools and libraries. In order to harness this new gaming performance, Nvidia additionally created new APIs – the NVN was uniquely built for the lightweight and fast gaming next gen console.
According to Polygon, some big name developers, studios and publishers are already on board to bring their games to the Nintendo Switch. In the trailer Nintendo released this morning, it appears as though some of the players are playing Bethesda’s Skyrim. An Nvidia GPU will certainly make sense for such a game. Here’s a list of studios and developers that are going to support the Nintendo Switch:
• 505 Games
• Activision Publishing, Inc.
• ARC SYSTEM WORKS Co., Ltd.
• ATLUS CO., LTD.
• Audiokinetic Inc.
• Autodesk, Inc.
• BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
• Bethesda
• CAPCOM CO., LTD.
• Codemasters®
• CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
• DeNA Co., Ltd.
• Electronic Arts
• Epic Games Inc.
• Firelight Technologies
• FromSoftware, Inc.
• Frozenbyte
• GameTrust
• GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC．
• Gungho Online Entertainment, Inc.
• HAMSTER Corporation
• Havok
• INTI CREATES CO., LTD.
• KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
• Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
• LEVEL-5 Inc.
• Marvelous Inc.
• Maximum Games, LLC
• Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
• Parity Bit Inc.
• PlatinumGames Inc.
• RAD Game Tools, Inc.
• RecoChoku Co., Ltd.
• SEGA Games Co., Ltd.
• Silicon Studio Corporation
• Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
• SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
• Starbreeze Studios
• Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
• Telltale Games
• THQ Nordic
• Tokyo RPG Factory Co., Ltd.
• TT Games
• UBISOFT
• Ubitus Inc.
• Unity Technologies, Inc.
• Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Web Technology Corp
The gameplay will also be enhanced by hardware-accelerated video playback and custom software for audio effects and rendering. As for the operating system, Nvidia has fully optimized the hardware and software for gaming. It will include a custom operating system integration with a performance and efficiency that will be powered by a solid Nvidia GPU. The only lingering question that remains is how this new console will perform. However, it is Nintendo so we can give them the benefit of the doubt.
Nvidia’s gaming technology will be integrated in all aspects of the new Nintendo Switch, which is still scheduled to come out in March of 2017.