Are graphics important in video games? Well, yes and no, and more or less, depending on who you ask. According to video game designer David Jaffe, “I don't give a fuck about amazing production value and visuals. A great game is a great game.”


But even for him, notably poor graphics can disrupt immersion, and downgrade an otherwise fantastic gaming experience. This is how he feels about the Nintendo Switch’s latest release, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.



So, David decided to take matters into his own hands. Using AI, he created an image similar to his screen capture, but in an art style much more to his liking. “Don't worry, fellas!” he said. “I had AI fix it! Now we're talkin'!”



Unfortunately, fans of the game were less than pleased to see its aesthetic tampered with.


“It looks fine, David,” @CaseyExplosion said. “Good art direction beats graphical fidelity every time.”


Other people pointed out that Tears of the Kingdom is made for Nintendo Switch, which has significantly less processing power than the modern consoles on the market. Stretching the fidelity of David’s AI image across an entire game would likely require more than the Switch is capable of working with.


“Why is it that every time you cross my feed it's because you're throwing a tantrum about something that doesn't matter?” @tegiminis asked.


Despite the criticism, Dave seems happy with his artistic creation. Do any Tears of the Kingdom deserve to be spilled over its graphics? No. But does Dave need to see those flaming dicks in ultra-high definition? Probably.