Numerous times throughout this year have rumors about a Nintendo Switch “Pro” popped up, with many theorizing what a new Nintendo console might look like. Of course, mid-generation refreshes for Sony and Microsoft have been common practice since the Xbox 360/PS3 generation. Nintendo, console-wise, has generally been averse to the practice. For handheld Nintendo consoles, it’s been a different story: the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DSi, as well as the Nintendo 3DS, 2DS, 3DS XL, and “New” variants of the 2DS, 3DS, and 3DS XL. That’s without even counting the various different Game Boy handheld consoles that released as well.
Of course, Nintendo’s latest console isn’t exactly the same, so hardware refreshes haven’t been as frequent. Updating that console with the frequency of previous Nintendo handheld lifecycles wouldn’t make sense. However, considering the Nintendo Switch is quickly approaching four years old, the base Nintendo Switch is starting to show its age. Especially in some of the recent Nintendo Switch game releases, which struggle in the visuals department. A Nintendo Switch “Pro” console would theoretically alleviate those issues, but could also potentially lead to Switch “Pro” exclusive games, games with higher graphical/processing demand that won’t run on the base Switch.
In all fairness, game performance on the Nintendo Switch overall has generally been stellar. Most games have been optimized to run extremely well on the handheld-console hybrid. However, there have been some notable high profile releases on the Switch that have had issues with stable framerates, some as early as launch titles and some as recent as last month. For as innovative and well-running as it is, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild tends to drop frames in some specific areas of the game with a lot of details populating on screen. More notably, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity has some pretty severe framerate drops during high action scenes.
Considering the wide berth between both games’ release dates, this isn’t inherently a trend with the Switch’s limited graphical power. However, it does stand to reason that a Nintendo Switch “Pro” console theoretically wouldn’t have issues like frame drops with higher graphical power. As more of Nintendo’s high profile sequels gear up for release (Breath of the Wild‘s sequel, Bayonetta 3, Metroid Prime 4), they could theoretically be made exclusive to a more powerful Switch handheld. Mobile technology has come quite a long way from the base Switch’s 720p screen, and Nvidia’s new Tegra X1+ mobile tech is already in use in newer Nvidia Shields.
However, the concept of using console exclusive games to push a new hardware release would go directly against the current Nintendo Switch strategy. Considering the Switch continues to break sales records for both Nintendo and the gaming industry altogether, pushing out a new and specifically upgraded console in 2021 likely isn’t in the cards for Nintendo. In that same vein, even if a new Nintendo Switch console was on the way for 2021, exclusive games would deliberately alienate all the recent new Switch owners. Nintendo, as recently as last week, has consistently reiterated that the Nintendo Switch as it’s designed right now is here to stay.
Plus, on a more macroeconomic level, Nintendo doesn’t have any inherent pressure to produce a Nintendo Switch “Pro” console anyway. Much like previous Nintendo home consoles, the Switch has carved into its own gaming ecosystem without any obvious competition. Third-party and independent developers have often praised the simplicity and efficiency of developing games for Nintendo’s latest console. Neither Sony or Microsoft, outside of game streaming to smartphones, has any kind of stake in the mobile/handheld gaming market anymore. Unless a significant competitor rises to meet Nintendo’s success, a Nintendo Switch “Pro” console doesn’t need to exist yet.
There is certainly a reality where Nintendo Switch “Pro” exclusive games are developed and released for an upgraded console, but it wouldn’t be any time soon, if at all. A Nintendo Switch “Pro” console, based on Nintendo’s current business strategy, would serve more as an optional or “premium” style console designed for enthusiasts. Rumors have stated that could take the form of a home console only, or a larger Nintendo Switch with 4K capability, but either way it wouldn’t supplant the existing Nintendo Switch. Nor would any first-party games be made exclusive to the Nintendo Switch “Pro” console, and presumably third-party games would follow suit.
Plus, games that have had struggling framerates or minor performance issues on the Nintendo Switch have still released on the existing console anyway. There’s no real argument where making certain first-party games exclusive to a more powerful Switch console makes any sense for Nintendo. Any game that can’t run on the Switch either won’t be sold on the system at all, or would come up with a unique solution to play that game, a prime example of the latter being Control. Nintendo is in it for the long haul with the Nintendo Switch, and for good reason. Massive sales on hardware and software show no sign of stopping for Nintendo’s momentum.
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply