#GameTechie

A new Nvidia leak could point to the Nintendo Switch Pro

Could this be the Pro or the Nintendo Switch 2? Maybe.

by
Joe Rice-Jones
March 2, 2022

Code snippets inside leaked Nvidia source code seem to confirm the existence of a Nintendo Switch Pro console. That code came from a massive cyberattack that hit Nvidia over the weekend, leaking code, and other data like employee details.

Following that hack, someone anonymously sent TechPowerUp a screenshot that was claimed to show the source code of Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS). On that screenshot was a folder called “nvn2,” which points towards an unreleased Nintendo Switch chip.

NVIDIA leaks have "nvn2", which seems to be the graphics api for the Switch Pro, based on Ampere with ray tracing support and DLSS 2.2 pic.twitter.com/k6nEr31CcY
— Nikki™ 🌹 (@NWPlayer123) March 1, 2022

So why is that “nvn2” folder important? The graphics API for the current Nintendo Switch console is “nvn.” That folder points to a newer version of the graphics code, and a potential unreleased device.

We’ve seen leaks about a Nintendo Switch Pro console before. Those include the inclusion of Nvidia DLSS, thanks to a new processor, and a 4K screen.

The latest Nvidia data dump ties those leaks together; showing that DLSS is going to be on an Nvidia chip powering a Nintendo console.

Now, that could be the Nintendo Switch Pro, or it could even be the Nintendo Switch 2.

What’s exciting is that DLSS has already shown it can create immersive experiences even at low resolutions. Our testing showed this, so did 2kliksphilip who took the technology to its limits.

Until Nintendo officially confirms that a Switch Pro/Switch 2 console exists, take this leak with a healthy dose of skepticism. Still, it’s exciting if Nvidia’s DLSS and other technology like Ray Tracing could be coming to a Nintendo console in the future.

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