Digital Foundry Direct: Switch Refresh, PSVR 2, and GPU News

Introduction to the Weekly Show

In this inaugural episode, the Digital Foundry team introduces a new weekly format designed to discuss the latest industry news, ongoing projects, and respond to community questions directly from their Patreon supporters.

The New Switch Refresh Discussion

There is heavy speculation regarding an updated Nintendo Switch model, often dubbed the "Switch Pro."
• Key Features: The panel doubts a massive "Pro" overhaul using new silicon and instead suggests a hardware refresh featuring a 7-inch OLED screen.
• Technical Rationale:
- They argue that sticking with the current Tegra X1 (16nm) helps bypass severe semiconductor fabrication shortages.
- The team explains that a 720p resolution is appropriate for portable displays to maintain pixel density and avoid the visual artifacts caused by upscaling on a 1080p screen.
- They dismiss the idea of a portable DLSS solution, noting that DLSS is a complex, engine-specific software requirement that cannot simply be added as a hardware-agnostic feature.

Developments in VR: PSVR 2

Sony’s recent announcement regarding a next-gen PSVR has generated significant excitement.
• Hardware Expectations: The team anticipates an evolution toward a single-wire connection utilizing PS5’s USB-C, better room-scale tracking, and advanced hand controllers reminiscent of the Valve Index Knuckles.
• Software: They hope for a renewed influx of first-party titles specifically tailored for VR, noting that the original PSVR ecosystem suffered from a lack of long-term software support.

"Having really high-quality hand controls, plus better room scale or tracking around the environment, that is so important."

Graphics Hardware: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

The panel analyzes the newly revealed AMD RDNA 2 mid-range GPU.
• Pricing Context: They express concern that retail pricing and GPU stock shortages will overshadow the MSRP of $480.
• Performance Considerations:
- While the card is marketed as a competitor to the RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 3070 at 1440p, the team highlights AMD’s ongoing lack of a machine learning-based super-resolution equivalent to DLSS as a potential disadvantage.
- The panel also discusses the importance of VRAM for content creators versus gamers.

Retro Discussions and Ongoing Projects

• Retro Pickups: The team shares their passion for retro collecting, discussing items like the PC Engine version of Batman and the rare Japanese edition of OutRun 2 SP.
• Pentium III Project: Alex details his, now successful, experiment of building and optimizing a period-accurate late-90s PC for retro gaming.
• Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: A recap of their investigations into back-compatibility issues, clarifying that the "stutter" seen in the game is an engine limitation not entirely solvable by the raw power of next-gen consoles like the Series X or PS5.
• Star Fox Adventures (Dinosaur Planet): John provides a sneak peek into his upcoming video on the Rare project, discussing both the technical instability of the prototype and the privilege of accessing archival interview footage from original developers.