It’s no secret there’s going to be a new Nintendo Switch in the future, but new reports suggest the upgraded model could come by September this year.
Bloomberg reports that Nintendo is currently planning assembly for a release of a new Switch, which will be more powerful than the 2017 launch model, with hopes to have it hit store shelves this fall. With E3 just around the corner on June 12, Nintendo could even announce the model within weeks. It has been suggested that the Switch Pro, or whatever it might be called, could be revealed prior to E3 to allow publishers to showcase future Switch games that take advantage of the increased horsepower.
There’s no word on how much the console might cost, but it’s safe to assume it’ll retail for more than $299. It’s also expected that it will be sold alongside the $199 Switch Lite, a portable-only model. The launch version of Switch could be phased out over time, allowing for the newer Switch to take its place, similar to how Nintendo treated its hardware revisions for the 3DS. Production for the new model could start as soon as July, with it ramping over near the end of the year. Unlike the rest of the electronics world, it would appear Nintendo has not been as badly impacted by a worldwide semiconductor shortage. Graphics cards, TVs, and games consoles have been affected by this shortage.
So far it’s unclear what Nintendo plans to bring to E3 outside of more footage for Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 and perhaps Metroid Prime 4. If those games are shown off during the annual games conference, it’s likely they will debut on the improved Switch hardware. As for a name for the actual console, Nintendo has been known to just stick the word “new” on its hardware revisions, so it could conceivably just be called the New Nintendo Switch. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.
