The Nintendo Switch is coming close its fourth anniversary, and it is still going strong. Still, there have always been rumors of a bigger, better version of the Switch that could be revealed at any time, and those rumors are hard to ignore.
The Nintendo Switch is the latest in a line of Nintendo portable consoles that have had more than one type of release. The original Game Boy, a handheld console from 1989 that was upgraded, altered, then rereleased as the Virtual Game Boy, Game Boy Color, then the Game Boy Advance. The same line of updating and re-releasing held with Nintendo’s second portable console, the DS. The DS appeared in 2004 and was followed by the DSi, DS Lite, DSi XL, then the 3DS, 3DS Lite, and more, then moved to the 2DS, and all its many variations. All of these were portable Nintendo Consoles released at a variety of price points, times, and with a variety of upgrades and changes.
While Nintendo Switch’s docking station makes it part console, part portable system, this console seems to be following in the footsteps of previous handhelds. After its initial release in 2017, the Nintendo Switch Lite and the base Switch with an upgraded battery were both released in 2019. It’s possible that the Lite’s release signals a new era of Switch releases, including a Switch Pro that has been rumored to be in the works since 2017. Unfortunately for fans, Nintendo continues to side-step questions about a Nintendo Switch Pro, as in the recent interview with President Doug Bowser did last week.
In spite of the non-answers that Nintendo executives have been giving about different styles of Switches, the rumor mills about the Switch Pro are still active on the internet, churning out new theories and potential upgrades. Whether the Switch Pro is likely to happen or not, there are enough rumors to piece together what the general population seems to be hoping for if it were to come out.
Based on the fact that the Switch Lite retails at $199 USD and the Nintendo Switch retails at $299 USD, it makes sense that a new, upgraded version would cost more than $299, making a price like $399 seem like a good entry point. It wouldn’t be a large leap and wouldn’t be a ton more than a base model. However, the price may be determined by the types of hardware upgrades that Nintendo would include in the rumored Pro-type model.
If the Nintendo Switch is looking to duke it out with both the PS5 and the Xbox Series S/X, it may just be priced even higher than $399. With the addition of 4K, an updated screen, bigger hard drive, more ram, or other changes could send certain potential models up into the $499 range. It’s doubtful that a Pro would cost more than the PS5 or a Series X, however, and at the end of the day, $399 seems like the sweet spot.
With only a few days left in 2020, hopes for a reveal of the next Switch console are focused on 2021. Considering the short amount of time between reveal and release of the Lite (only about two months), a Pro could easily be available for purchase next year. Considering that Nintendo has Directs about once a quarter, gamers could see this new console revealed as early as the spring of next year and released as early as the summer 2021. Again, though, this is just speculation. There’s a ton of factors that mean this could come as soon as many hope but just as many that could see it be a Fall 2020
Based on Nintendo’s reluctance to neither confirm or deny the existence of a Switch Pro or other new versions of the console, it most likely means that something is already in the works. Hopefully, that something ends up being the rumored Switch Pro in 2021.
While Nintendo has stated that it is focused on the current two Switch models, that doesn’t mean that there is nothing Pro-related in the works. There are just so many improvements that would be amazing for the Switch that Nintendo has to see the possibilities of what an upgraded Switch could be.
Some rumors that have been whispered about the potential upgrades are:
- An upgraded screen – 4K capabilities as well as a mini-LED Nintendo Switch screen would bring this console to new heights and make for some beautiful gaming.
- Fixing the drift – After the Joy-Con price reduction last month, some began to wonder if that meant something new was coming. Perhaps a new kind of Joy-Con without the drift, or something completely different than a Joy-Con. And if the controller is something new, then perhaps it would be connected to some new, upgraded console hardware as well.
- Bigger hard drive – While gamers can purchase SD cards up to 2TB for their Nintendo Switch, the on-board space is tiny. It can hold everything needed to run the system and just a couple of games. Case in point: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild alone takes up half of the Switch’s available space.
- Faster processing – Rumors have hinted that the Switch Pro may be using the Nvidia’s Tegra Xavier mobile processor and graphics units to boost speeds and processing power.
The Zelda franchise is on the cusp of its 35th anniversary. This long-lived series is coming up on the next chapter of the saga, Breath of the Wild 2, and fans of the series are wondering if the Switch Pro will be included in the auspicious occasion. The rumors that both will appear in 2021 could make for a very special, 35th anniversary, limited edition bundle of a Pro and the new Zelda game. It would make sense, considering how much the basic Switch and Switch Lite currently struggle with big games like Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity. If BotW2 is even bigger, better, and more graphics intensive, it may not even run on the current Switch’s hardware very well at all.
A new Nintendo Switch model is reportedly in development.
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