Now, we already know that the ability to use ray tracing is built into the Switch 2 console, baked into its very fibre, as an entirely untechnical person might say. However, we've yet to be presented with any examples of it in action on the new machine just yet.
Well, as disappointing as it may be to not have had Mario's shiny face reflecting back on itself in real time from the get-go, Nintendo does seem to be up to something, at the very least, with regards to the tech. In a recent social media post, Nintendo Patents Watch has highlighted three patents published yesterday in Japan, two of which have ray tracing antics in mind.
So, what are we looking at here, then? Well, as detailed by the post, the first two images show details of ray tracing techniques that improve both the amount of control the tech has on a per-object basis, as well as correctional adjustments for around screen edges. This is on top of a third patent that covers an improved shadow-mapping technique.
So, while we don't have any info on what all this is exactly, it sure does look like tweaks and adjustments, or just some further info, on whatever is already going on inside our Switch 2 consoles (which Nintendo has been vague on so far) with regards to ray tracing.
Looking forward to seeing how ray tracing actually pans out on Switch 2? What games do you think will, or should, employ it first? Let us know!