Expert Claims “Mario Kart World” on Nintendo Switch 2 Uses “Fake HDR” — Highlights Developers’ Lack of Commitment to True HDR Quality

Okay, so let’s talk about this whole kerfuffle with Mario Kart World on the Switch 2. Imagine this: a bunch of TechTubers are up in arms, and I mean REALLY ticked off, about this thing called ‘fake HDR.’ Yeah, I didn’t know what it was at first either. Anyway, this dude, Alexander Mejia, who’s kinda like the guru of HDR or something, wrote this super detailed blog about it. And what’s the gist? Mario Kart World supposedly got caught with its pants down using a “SDR-first content pipeline,” which means they figured out the HDR bit sorta last minute. (Why do they always do this?)

So, here’s the thing. Mario Kart World is meant to be this dazzling showcase for the console. You know, like, “Look, Ma! It does 4K and 60FPS with HDR!” But Mejia, who apparently knows his stuff, reckons even these big shot developers are just not serious about HDR. I mean, really? Developers missing the mark? Imagine my shock.

But let’s be real. This HDR stuff isn’t easy, is it? Mejia himself admits as much. The trick, he says, is to embrace HDR from the get-go. Like, don’t just slap it on when you’re almost out the door. It’s like putting mascara on salads. (Wait, does anyone do that?)

Anyway, this guy did all sorts of tests and found some pretty telling stuff. For instance, if you crank the console’s brightness to 10,000 nits—yeah, that’s bright—Mario Kart tops out at about 950 nits. Meh, numbers, I know. But still, it sounds like a big whoopsie. Basically, they’re not taking full advantage of the fancy color spaces modern TVs can handle. What a waste!

Now, this might be me ranting, but seeing these flashy games not live up to their closed-door demos is a real bummer. They’re, like, chain-sawing their own potential.

Mejia wraps up by touting some consultancy stuff—gotta make that bread, right?—offering to help studios do HDR right from the start. I mean, if you’ve got the cash, why not hire the expert?

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