Yet more evidence has presented itself about the possibility of a Nintendo Switch Pro. The often rumored Switch Pro has the potential to help Nintendo compete with the next generation entries from Xbox and PlayStation, and if a Tweet from a game developer is more than just a jest, the new console could be currently “in the oven” and it could mean big things for the Big N.
Developer FDG Entertainment recently announced that its game Monster Boy will be updated for the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game will support 4K and 120fps signals via HDMI 2.1. This is certainly exciting news, but some fans noted that they are bummed about not receiving the same update on their Switch versions of the game. But FDG Entertainment responded with a mysterious, “Who knows?!”
The full tweet from the game developer hints that there could perhaps be a Switch with next-gen hardware in the oven, which has sent waves through the gaming fanbase about the possibilities. While the Switch has continued to sell remarkably well, some wonder how the Nintendo hybrid will do once the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S release. The answer to this conundrum could be a next-gen version of the Nintendo Switch.
There are a few reasons why this newest hint is so promising and exciting. The first is that specifics about the updated Monster Boy were revealed in the tweet, and if a follow-up comment mentioned the Switch, it could point to an updated Switch version being able to handle those same specs. Secondly, merely the words “next-gen hardware” in the Switch indicate that a Switch Pro could be more than simply a bigger screen or better form factor.
With handheld consoles, Nintendo is known for half-step upgrades that simply create a better experience for the gamer, without overhauling the technology. The GameBoy Pocket made the classic handheld less bulky. The GameBoy Advanced SP turned the handheld into a small clamshell that could finally play games with a backlit screen. The DSi got rid of the toy-like design of the Nintendo DS in favor of a sleek and light form factor, along with new internal software like Flipnote Studio and the DSi browser. And so on and so forth.
In most scenarios, the newer versions of the Nintendo handhelds are simple feature enhancements and or improvements on the overall design. A Nintendo Switch Pro could theoretically purely be a console with a larger screen for handheld play and improved battery life, but the tweet by FDG Entertainment hints at a whole lot more.
A new Switch that solely feels better to hold or only upresses to 4k wouldn’t fix some of the Switch issues, and it wouldn’t really be next-gen. The Xbox One X is able to play games in 4k, but no one is considering that console next-generation, instead, it is simply the most powerful console of this current generation. The idea that the Switch Pro could have next-generation tech in it indicates that it could be on par with at least some aspects of the Xbox Series X/S and PS5. With the Xbox Series S launching at only $299 and still packing a punch, the precedent is there for next-gen hardware being stuffed into the Switch Pro at an affordable rate, since Nintendo isn’t one to ask for astronomical prices on consoles.
In theory, the Nintendo Switch Pro could be close to what the Xbox Series S offers, but even better in some ways as it would be able to play games in 4k, which would be extremely exciting for fans. Even the Series S has stronger tech than the PS5 in some ways, so having a Switch console that could at least compete with the Series S/S or PS5 would be remarkable. The key, however, would be to not throw out the current Switch owners in the process, as the install base is massive.
If the Switch Pro is truly a next-gen console, Nintendo would be wise to have all its games be playable on the Switch Pro and standard Switch. Although, if the original Switch was still available, there would be a confusing amount of options. It may be best to move forward with the Switch Lite and the Switch Pro being the two consoles of choice. That way games can focus on downscaling to a beautiful handheld screen, while also being able to upscale on the Pro to 4k, 120fps, and more on the big screen.
The two console system looks to be working well for Xbox, which has provided a budget console in the Series S, so if Nintendo could sell the Switch Lite at $200 and the Switch Pro at maybe $350 or $400, with specs that compare to the Series S but in 4k, it would provide fans with wonderful options to choose from.
If the Nintendo Switch Pro were to truly be next-gen, it may, however, prove difficult to allow all games to play on the standard Switch/Switch Lite and the Switch Pro. So another alternative would be to force some games to be Switch Pro only. Nintendo has started to find more success with third-party software reaching the Switch, but that’s mostly thanks to the install base and the publishers seeing a chance to cash in.
Even if something like Cyberpunk 2077 were to be possible on the Switch Pro, CD Projekt Red may not think it is worth it if the install base isn’t the 60+ million that the standard Switch has. Moving technical powerhouses like Witcher 3 and Doom to the Switch have already worked, so in theory, a developer can attempt to crunch any game into the older Switch if the money is there, but downscaling is not always easy for developers.
Regardless of how Nintendo handles the difficult decisions behind separating the player base with Switch Pro exclusives or making sure that all Switch games will be on every Switch console, the idea of playing next-gen games on the hybrid system is exciting–even if now everything is still a mystery and not yet confirmed. From a third-party perspective, imagining games like Starfield, Deathloop, Elden Ring, and Diablo 4 on a Switch Pro in glorious 4k, with the flexibility of playing on the go on is beyond compelling.
Meanwhile, Nintendo has plenty of confirmed Switch exclusives on the way that would benefit from massive graphical and performance enhancements. Playing the likes of the sequel to Breath of the Wild, Bayonetta 3, and Metroid 4 on a next-gen worthy console is perhaps even more intriguing. Breath of the Wild already looked and played remarkably–just imagine its sequel in 4K at 120fps.
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