Takashi Mochizuki of the Wall Street Journal has come forward once again with claims of two new Switch models being made to release as early as this Summer.
While obviously not 100% confirmed at this point, Mochizuki cites that individuals familiar with the matter have stated that the two new models will target two different user audiences, hoping to maintain momentum for Nintendo throughout this year and beyond.
According to the report, one of these models will targeted more at “avid gamers”, offering enhanced features. However, this new machine is not believed to be as powerful as the current PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One X, according to those who reportedly have access to the prototype of the console such as parts suppliers and software developers.
In addition, the same source states that a cheaper more “casual-friendly” Switch system is being developed that is internally being viewed as a successor to the Nintendo 3DS.
Separately, Mochizuki has also shared that those who have seen these two new models have commented on their appearance, stating that “different from the original and you’d be surprised”.
More information will be shared as it is made known or confirmed.
Switch Physical Collection - 1,247 games (as of April 15th, 2024)
Favorite Quote: "Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age the child is grown, and puts away childish things. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies." -Edna St. Vincent Millay
If this is true, I just hope it doesn't lead to exclusive games on the more powerful version. Although it would make sense... I just really would hate Nintendo for that, and would think they should have just released the stupid thing that way to begin with so we wouldn't all have wasted our money on an inferior product.
Of course, I'm saying this, but I didn't really care about the exclusive games for the New 3DS/2DS. So theoretically it could work that way, but there were so few exclusives there it was easy to overlook. Plus, as long as its just exclusives that appear on other systems I can keep on buying third parties on the PS4, which I pretty much always do because there's no sense in waiting forever for them to come out on the Switch.
SOLD!
Seriously, if a Switch Pro improves performance on existing games and/or enables more games to come to the Switch family of devices then I'm in heaven.
I never drive faster than I can see. Besides, it's all in the reflexes.
Lol, of course it's not as powerful as the PS4 Pro, no truly portable device could hope to match that quite yet. That said, I'll be curiously considering the Switch Pro I guess, but we'll have to see what it is. I'm just glad the majority of games with fixed framerates on Switch use dynamic resolution, so we'll see some improvements even on games that are hitting their frame targets.
Figures I just just bought a switch and a better one might be around the corner. Being new to nintendo, do they usually stay backwards compatible with things like controllers? We bought 4 pro controllers with the switch. Upgrading the unit wouldnt be bad if I could keep all those controllers.
@wafflesngravy Pro Controllers should be compatible with any potential Switch revision coming out. They'd really be shooting themselves in the foot otherwise... Those things are already expensive enough, alongside being expected to buy a whole new version of a console you already own.
As with other rumors, I'm taking this with a ton of salt. That said, one of the reasons (though not the main one) why I've held off getting a Switch this year is due to this rumor. Literally a couple of months after I picked up my first 3DS, they announced the original 3DS XL.
Currently playing: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr's Journey, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (Switch)
Even if a new Switch can play more powerful/optimised games, I would expect 3rd parties would still ensure the game can be played on original hardware, they would be thinking too much about lost sales.
I can’t think of any 3rd Party Games utilising the New 3DS (Except for the Warriors games)
@RazorWind That is why they would not do that because the current model sales are amazing. If they pull that after 2 years of release they will suffer in terms of sales.
Nintendo would be stupid to make games exclusive to a Switch Pro. Just have to look back at the "New" 3DS to see, only 1 or two exclusive games to it but all other 3DS games worked regardless of what version of the console you had, just that the "New" was more powerful and let games boot faster.
That's all i believe will happen with a Switch Pro, if that even comes about. Anything else will seriously alienate even the most loyal fans, and sales will be impacted.
@Zuljaras Agreed, I really can't see Nintendo fragmenting the user base. There may well be an "enhanced" version like the 3DS XL that ultimately replaced the original - better battery life, fanless design, maybe a modest power boost that does little but keep framerates more stable or resolutions more stable in handheld, or can run closer to full power while handheld, something like that. But I don't see them going "PS4 Pro/X1X". They're selling fine as they are, and they'd have to spend more on game design if they were accomodating more powerful hardware, plus Nintendo doesn't have a history of user base fragmentation (DSi/DSLite aside is the exception.) PS4 did it because they needed to tie into the pending 4k TVs without rushing a new console out, and XBox did it mostly because they were so behind on hardware, they needed a "do over" button. Neither company has come across as happy about a whole mid-gen split and I don't think they'd like to duplicate it. MS just wants to exit generations as a whole and just have kind of rolling hardware and long term support games. Nintendo could adopt a mobile like refresh cycle, new hardware every other year. But that presents problems for them Nintendo isn't really equipped to handle...their whole structure, software-wise is generational by design.
I think "two models" means the inevitable Mini, and an "improved" base model, with enhancements like battery life, cooling/fanless, maybe a brighter screen, that sort of thing. Nice improvements, but nothing essential for play, just a more refined SKU.
@NEStalgia New 3DS was kind of a XB1X type situation as in both cases developers started to focus on the more powerful hardware (New 3DS/XB1X) over the less powerful hardware (3DS/OG XB1 and XB1S). You can tell when a game is designed for a powerful system by how it runs on a less powerful system, like Forza Horizon 4 was totally developed with the XB1X in mind.
@Grumblevolcano I think Horizon 4 was developed with PC in mind, X just happens to be close enough
But I never felt that with New 3DS. MH 4 was very New focused, but other games really seemed to run similarly either way. New seemed largely ignored after launch in terms of it's "power", and the "power" increase was mostly designed around the UI and background downloads not being dog-slow while playing. It did make some in game improvements and the increased memory seemed tailor made for MH, though..... the Capcom/Nintendo synergy was high back then....
I still don't see how a Switch "mini" is supposed to work. The dimensions of the Switch are bound by the size of the Joy-Con. Unless they're going to launch Joy-Con mini as well, but that would be pretty confusing. Fused Joy-Con wouldn't make any sense either, because then it's not really a Switch anymore (though to be fair, they also removed the 3D from the 3DS).
Anyway, fused Joy-Con still means you're missing out on a good amount of games, especially the party stuff that's generally more oriented to families and children.
Labo wouldn't work with either solution, so how are they going to deal with that?
Forums
Topic: WSJ report: Nintendo to launch two new Switch models in 2019
Posts 1 to 20 of 71
Sorry, this topic has been locked.