Sources: Nintendo showed off demos for the Switch 2 at Gamescom

Nintendo showed off tech demos of the Nintendo Switch successor behind closed doors at Gamescom, and understandably so.

According to a new report from Eurogamerwhich VGC can confirm via our own sources.

According to the publication, Nintendo privately showed invited developers custom-made tech demos of the next-generation game console, which could launch next year.

It’s understood that one of the demos for “Switch 2” was an enhanced version of the Switch launch title Zelda: Breath of the Wild, running at a higher frame rate and resolution than the original game, on hardware targeting the new console’s specs (but there was no suggestion That the game will actually be re-released.)

Another VGC source claimed that Nintendo showed off Epic’s impressive The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 art demo – originally released to showcase the power of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2021 – running at the next console’s target specs.

The demo is said to have run using Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology, with advanced ray tracing enabled and visuals similar to current generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft.

Nintendo hasn’t publicly discussed its plans for the next generation of consoles, but a recent VGC report indicated that the company plans to release new hardware late next year.

Although specific details about the hardware are kept closely guarded, VGC sources indicated that it will be possible to use the next-gen console in handheld mode, similar to the Nintendo Switch.

Tokyo-based industry consultant Dr. Serkan Toto told VGC that launching the console in 2024 would make sense for Nintendo, as it is expected to see double-digit drops in hardware and software sales this year for the Switch, which launched in March 2017.

“I would generally say that looking at Nintendo’s financials, it seems clear that it’s time for a new piece of hardware in 2024,” he said. “Hardware is already expected to decline 16.5% year-on-year in the current fiscal year, while software minus is expected to be 15.9%.

“The only way to prevent these losses from completely inflating in the next fiscal year is with a new device, and the second half of 2024 seems like a realistic launch window to me.”