Zelda Tears of the Kingdom runs at 4K 60FPS on Switch 2, HDR and fast loading also confirmed

Nintendo's new Switch 2 will supercharge first-party games like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with 4K 60FPS gameplay.

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The Switch 2 is apparently capable of some pretty impressive performance, at least when compared to its predecessor. According to hands-on reports from the recent Nintendo Switch 2 event, the handheld-console hybrid can achieve 4K 60FPS in games like Tears of the Kingdom when docked.

The Switch 2's new 4K-ready gaming is made possible by a customized NVIDIA Tegra processor that facilitates DLSS upscaling, allowing much more performance to be squeezed out of the smaller integrated package. The Switch 2's Tegra SoC features both RT Cores for raytracing and Tensor Cores for built-in DLSS support, and is said to deliver 10x the graphical performance of the Switch 1.

The result sees Nintendo injecting new life into older games--through a backwards compatibility process that apparently includes a mix of emulation--and unlocking performance that can fundamentally change gameplay. Games like Tears of the Kingdom can achieve 4K 60FPS when docked, while also enjoying extra boosts like significantly faster loading times thanks to new microSD Express flash, and HDR support for more vibrant visuals.

The only trade off is that these updates won't be free. Or typically, they won't be free. You'll have to pay for the Switch 2 updates for both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Switch 2 updates for these games, formally called upgrade packs, are also included with a Switch Online subscription...but that also costs money.

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You can also buy the upgrade packs separately, as Nintendo's Bill Trinnen confirms to IGN:

"For somebody who has bought Tears of the Kingdom or Breath of the Wild, the upgrade packs for those are $9.99. And if you happen to be a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, both of the Zelda upgrade packs are inclusive within that membership. So there's no additional charge for those."

Elsewhere in the interview, it's confirmed that both Zelda games would be getting Switch 2 Versions with higher price tags.

Tears of the Kingdom's Switch 2 Version will retail for $80, the same as Mario Kart World.

Breath of the Wild's Switch 2 Version will cost $70, further reflecting the standard +$10 price bump for Switch 2 upgrades.

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