The Nintendo Switch has just overtaken the lifetime sales of the 3DS, selling an amazing 79.87 million units in the space of four years. Thanks to titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons – which has sold over 31 million copies in less than a year – Nintendo's hybrid system is on-course to be one of the most successful gaming platforms of all time, and this performance could well delay any plans to release a "Switch Pro" in the near future.
The notion of a mid-cycle upgrade has been doing the rounds for quite some time now – hardly a shock when you consider Nintendo's track record (and the numerous rumours that have been floating around for many months) – and while Nintendo's denials mean little (it will only announce something when it's ready), the wording of its latest comment on the matter is interesting.
During the Q&A session following the company's latest financial for the nine months ending December 31st 2020, Nintendo was asked about the chances of seeing a "new model" this year.
It's perfectly understandable that Nintendo would want to nix all talk of an enhanced Switch when it's planning on launching two new cosmetic variants in the form of the Super Mario and Monster Hunter Rise SKUs, but "not anytime soon" is an interesting reply. It doesn't shut the door entirely, but it can hardly be seen as a "smoking gun" which suggests the Pro model is inbound.
Of course, there's also the very real possibility that Nintendo has delayed plans for a revised model in the light of the fact that the Switch and Switch Lite are showing no signs of losing their momentum – clearly, releasing a new model now would make very poor business sense.
What do you make of this reply? Do you think we'll see a Switch Pro in 2021, or do you think Nintendo has perhaps changed its plans – if those plans were even in place to begin with?
[source twitter.com]
Comments (141)
Thank god, we don’t need a new Switch, the current model is amazing, now hopefully people will stop whining on about it.
Every Nintendo Youtuber: /poggers thumbnail
"SWITCH PRO CONFIRMED"
If they made a pro, and it only took 'pro' enabled games then they would be shooting their 79million customers in the ass. I don't think they're will be a pro, I think in the next few years we'll get a '2' or a new console
Anything else of note said in the Q&A?
@Abes3 The PS4 Pro worked perfectly fine beside the base PS4 and there weren't Pro exclusive games. Don't see why this shouldn't work with a Switch Pro
That scuppered my hopes of a Zelda themed Switch this year.
Nintendo
not planning to make an announcement anytime soon.
Well.. That's that, a Switch Pro announcment next week.
Nintendo's practice of not announcing things until they're only a few months away is maddening sometimes.
I really want that Switch performance upgrade! There's so many games that need it just for stable frame rate, it's what I want most.
@Abes3 It depends what you expect to be in a Pro model. I am expecting and hoping for a Pro model that can push the same visuals on the tablet as it can on a TV. That's it. That would appease the people that want the best visuals all the time and means that games will not need specifically tweaking for the new model.
A reduced bezel and a better battery life would be icing.
Well this is bad news. My Switch is on it's last legs but i have no intention of replacing it unless an upgrade comes out.
I'm not buying 6 year old technology for £300, that's ridiculous. But no bother really, the PS5 is here and my attention has already shifted focus.
I'll probably be skipping the games now until a Switch 2 with backwards compatibility drops.
@RupeeClock They announced the DS Lite one week after "not announcing" it.
I think a new model is definitely needed. Some games made that super apparent. The draw distance in Age of Calamity is ... sorry, it's horrible. You are never part of a battle, visually speaking, but just some tiny skirmish. It takes away so much from the "musou"-feel. Plus, the constant and incessant pop-in just gives me an headache.
And yeah, even with these krass limitations, the performance ain't exactly smooth, but that is really - by comparison with the above - a minor grievance.
I believe the next Switch machine is NOT Switch Pro.
Pro was the Sony branding, same as Xbox One X /S for Microsoft, there is No XBOX ONE PRO either.
So April or June switch pro announcement confirmed? ps im joking people.
@Anti-Matter They won't brand it "Pro", they might call it the "new" Switch, like the new 3DS.
Last year they said no new hardware in 2020. This year they said not announcing new hardware anytime soon.
This suggests that there is a new hardware revision and that it will be announced in 2021. Whether it also releases in 2021... based on previous timelines I'd say it's very likely to release this year too. June announce and a September launch would work, for example.
Switch pro is Bigfoot
Guys, they only said "not planning to make an announcement" anytime soon, which means they can still announce and launch it any time this year.
I believe a new version is definetely coming in 2021.
@HamatoYoshi In my opinion the Switch is amazing in theory but disappointing in reality due to the subpar build quality. Drift issues, connection issues and so on. Situation is much better with the Lite so maybe it’s been improved in later revisions of the Switch but I’m not gonna buy a 2nd one if there’s no added benefit, like a bigger screen or better performance.
Switch Pro is starting to approach meme status, even among investors.
Can't wait for Nintendo to actually release the darn thing just to stop the endless speculation.
@HamatoYoshi,
To be fair it's not the first time Nintendo have denied a console revision and then announced one soon after, the original 3DS XL springs to mind.
To be honest the Switch Pro rumors have always been based more of a core obsessive wish list than actual concrete information, the lite was a given as Nintendo have had a home and handheld console for ages now.
A switch revision with better battery and screen is still a possibility, but I agree with you on there not being any reason to massively change the existing model.
Remember when Nintendo said they had no plans to release a revised 3DS.
1 week later, Nintendo reveal a new 3DS model.
@sanderev
That's exactly my point really.
But Nintendo's position is clear here: they're selling special edition Switch systems in the next two months, they don't want to make an announcement that will undercut the sales performance of these units.
Nintendo would only sell a revised Switch to sell the current models at a cheaper price. That's why Sony and Microsoft launched the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. Since that won't happen, Nintendo will just release a new console in two or three years.
That means almost nothing.
You could just as easily take it as one will be announced in the next six weeks.
What is ‘soon?’
@Razer why’s it on it’s last legs? In what way? I got mine at launch and it still looks and performs like new
My money is on they delayed the update of the flagship model.
Possibly now to include an even more substantial update once it does arrive.
The conjecture can finally end
"Anytime soon" is actually the less interesting bit of the response. The most interesting bit is the fact that they say the focus is Mario in Feb and Monster Hunter in Mar, which suggests that "anytime soon" basically means definitely not in this financial year.
Anytime after April is fair game, although my prediction is the announcement will come in May or June
@Edu23XWiiU I’d prefer this - if Nintendo handles this the way they handled the new 3DS then the pro would be a lame upgrade with no or very few exclusive games.
However, if a pro ran every existing game at a minimum of 1080p and in some cases with increased frame rates, then I’d go for it.
@RupeeClock And that is a smart business decision.
A Pro model will be announced April / May, and will launch around September. This is also why all those Mario limited releases end March 31st. And Breath of the Wild 2 will be a launch title.
@electrolite77 they always “almost mean nothing”. That’s why we’re all Nintendo analysts!
Wow from small acorns the internet has decided the future of switch pro, information incoming 1st April for sure!
This will always be roughly the line they give right up until they're actually ready to make an announcement. It'd be stupid to give anything away sooner than necessary as it'd just impact the sales of the current model.
Speculative: Nintendo’s “soon” most likely stops just after springtime. Best bets: start of summer. Possibly in a new arrangement and format with E3 (remember, Nintendo are strong buddies with E3)
But that’s if they haven’t delayed it in a major overhaul of plans post-2020, which is entirely possible
Understandable. The Switch sold in the last quarter, almost what Wii U did in its whole lifetime.
Thanks god. No need other mode to be honest....
@OorWullie The New 3DS came out because Nintendo was starting to lose money with the first 3DS model, due to them losing on court for the patent of the 3D perspective. That was the real excuse to put out the "New" model, that hardly got any exclusive games.
@NinChocolate E3's likely completely dead with Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest and IGN's Summer of Gaming being permanent replacements.
@NinChocolate
Absolutely! Endless man hours spent trying to read between the lines and interpret the Big Ns carefully worded pronouncements. All part of the fun 🤩
@Edu23XWiiU Which they could do with a Switch Pro with improved Joy-Con (aka. no drift).
@Grumblevolcano I don’t think those are affiliated with Nintendo or E3, which are also the bigger brands in the matter anyway. Don’t see how those upstarts killed off Nintendo’s relationship with E3, both being institutions in the industry
@HamatoYoshi I wouldn't call drifting joy cons and cracking shells working perfectly and as such I am eagerly awaiting the Pro because my switch is plagued with both of these issues. And it's not like I treat the system roughly, I treat it practically like a baby but still have these issues. That is not okay.
@andykara2003 the New 3DS was released because they were starting to lose money with the basic 3DS, they never thought about dividing their audience, that's why it barely had exclusives.
Honestly if they are to say release a "Pro" model this year then I don't expect them to release the next system for at least 3 years.
So either they release a pro model this year and not release their next system until 2024 or they could decide to skip the pro and release their next system in 2023 which would make it the switch 6+ years at that stage which would make it a fair amount of time between systems.
I am just curious if they do release the next system will it be backwards compatible and will it boost the performance on games and/or a resolution up scaling on them. With the performance I don't see them increasing games like zelda botw to run at 60 but the extra power will fix the frame rate to make it a stable 30.
WOMP WOMP WOMP It says not any time soon so we could still get a switch pro but I wouldn't count on it. At least they can point there work to more switch games.
Outside of battery upgrade or nicer form factor, any iteration model is pie in the sky and not very practical for a game console. Any meaningful upgrade will be more like SNES to NES and be backwards compatible. Probably will have a new gameplay feature too. They aren’t phasing the switch out, but they aren’t going to stop making hardware either. I look forward to their next console, but Switch is here to stay!
"Anytime soon" in corporate speak: a couple years.
"Anytime soon" in fan speak: a couple weeks.
¯(ツ)/¯
@mariomaster96 because, as has been discussed before, even the majority of Switch Pro conspirologists daydream up the upgrade with the primary purpose of handling third party ports Switch can't. Once this unlikely scenario is ruled out (even devs comment that games would have to be running on all the models, hence ported/made with the base specs in mind), the hypothetical upgrade is left with token boosts like "4K Hyrule" - an even more niche appeal than Lite, but glaringly more expensive than the flagship. Fans just refuse to accept the notion that all of the above might leave Nintendo with blatantly deficient motivation to release any upgrades as long as the current models keep printing money. All these "Pro" assembly lines can be better off stuffed with something already in high demand.
Honestly, given the sparse number of actually enhanced midlife upgrades Nintendo's consoles have seen (DSi, N3DS, the backlight-equipped Advance SP if we're generous... what else?), it feels like the bulk of the Switch Pro rhetoric is built entirely on the Joneses like Sony and Microsoft (never mind Ninty marching to its own drum for over a decade now). Even the nickname gives it away.😏
Personally I'd just prefer Nintendo to focus on making some new games.
I swear to freaking Hylia, people should stop asking for the "Super Switch" or "Switch Pro." Clearly, some of the issues we face in games are simply minor nitpicks.
You still bought and enjoyed the game, despite having subpar quality to other games. Joy Cons are their own thing, not part of the revision. The game doesn't look like a 3DS quality game, so be glad we made it this far!
Nintendo is already making a huge sacrifice with manufacturing costs. If you haven't noticed, the Switch is an expensive console to manufacture because of all it's technology being somewhat experimental. Joy Cons compromised quality for quantity of features. The battery life is JUST right with the console's screen capped at 720p HD. The Game Cards are an exclusive medium. Having a Switch Pro means all that, but more expensive for not only them, but us as well. Some of the ports people have been talking will need larger Game Cards, and in the end it still might not be worth it.
You enjoy enough of the current Switch model. Don't waste your time waiting for a revision and buy the regular Switch if you haven't already.
@NinChocolate COVID cancelled physical E3 2020 and E3 gave up on trying to do it digitally because studios went to Summer Game Fest, Summer of Gaming or did their own thing instead. COVID is for certain going to cancel physical E3 2021 and studios are likely to pick Summer Game Fest, Summer of Gaming or do their own thing again meaning E3 dead until the pandemic's over (if it ends).
I'd really like something more powerful. Putting hundreds of hours into the PS5 since launch makes it harder and harder to go back to Switch, even though I'm a big proponent of "graphics don't matter" it's the load times, and the frame rates that we need to see improve.
@sanderev the drift comes with the design of the controllers, and as soon as they don't start to lose money because of that, it won't happen anytime soon.
@nhSnork amén Bro!
@Edu23XWiiU That's true but I'm just making a point about Nintendo's denials not really meaning anything. If they do have a new model coming out soon, they're not going admit to it in an interview before they can reveal it themsleves.
A "Pro" model is no indication that Nintendo will retroactively patch all of their games to take advantage of the improved hardware. People are being extremely naïve in assuming otherwise.
Sources: cough New 3DS / cough DSi
Nintendo continued to ignore the improvements of their "new and improved" hardware LONG after they had been made available, let alone trying to improve past games. The performance issues with the 3DS Fire Emblem games particularly bothered me (arguably minor as they were, they could have run silky smooth on the New models).
well, nintendo also 4. june 2012 said they will not make new 3DS model and 21. june they annouced 3DS Xl... xD
id like to see a refresh but they need to be careful - I think something like DLSS within the dock would be great to ensure compatibility across the board. The New 3DS didn’t have many exclusives but I’m glad Nintendo released it as they can learn lessons from that in how to strategically refresh models.
An even better option is probably no refresh but instead look to the future at a Switch 2 - I really do hope their next console keeps the Switch’s design while improving aspects
The Tweet is ridiculous. "No plans" isn't EXACTLY what was said last year so it suggests there are plans.
...So you're telling me there's a chance
well then looks like i'll be i wont be playing or buying monster hunter rise "Any Time Soon", cuz it runs like garbage on the current model.
@Silly_G and the 3ds never did as well as the dsi, but even then the difference between a ds game and a 3ds game is like the difference between a snes and a gamecube, a switch pro would be more like a ps4 pro id imagine, heck even ps5 plays all ps4 games way better than on ps4 pro
Nintendo make their hardware around gameplay not specs. Honestly the current generation of gamer sound like 50% graphical fish mouthers, 50% armchair investor and 100% killjoy.
@Grumblevolcano Let’s talk when E3 cancels their relationship with Nintendo or vice versa. I can’t predict the status of the convention for the future. Doubtless stakeholders have thought about how to evolve the event, and I can’t say that they will definitely come up short. It may well be that they improve the experience for press, but I don’t know.
Anyone who has a passing familiarity with Nintendo’s business practices: 😴
Xbox/PS gamers who are new to Nintendo and have been injecting PRO rumors into their veins via Reddit drip: 😯😟🥺😠😡🤬
@NathanTheAsian The reason I would like to see a pro model or a new system with backward compatibility that will boost switch games is for improved framerate or stable framerate.
I am someone who will lower the resolution or graphics settings of my PC games just so I can get a solid 60 FPS. Same goes for the same on my PS5 where I will sacrifice resolution and graphic fidelity just to have a smoother gameplay experience.
@gcunit Luckily they have different teams for this.
I'm willing to bet we'll be getting the Switch Pro for Christmas. Or at least an announcement for whenever BotW 2 is released.
New hardware or not, I think it’s fair to demand more things from the software side of things. Themes, folders, a Netflix app, Web browser, Discord, proper friend system, and others can take the system over the top. Maybe if we’re lucky they’ll release a new version of Miiverse as well. If the 3ds/Wii U has all of these things, then it’s a no brainer for the Switch to have them as well.
@dew12333 TBH April 1st is the most likely announcement date (rimshot)
All kidding aside it’s always funny to me how all the SURE THING Nintendo bets are always completely spurious and wrong.
Fond memories of people telling me I was an idiot because I didn’t think Fortnite was coming to Smash
@TheBigN65 real question:
Why do I need folders or Netflix?
I deleted Hulu and Youtube from my Switch because I never used them. I have 66 games and I just sort alphabetically and get what I need.
Switch doesn’t need to be Playstation, it’s not a multimedia machine, they’ve never played that game.
@Ganner more like one in a million! Sweet reference xx
@thefoxystoat Patches did amazing things with Outer Worlds, Mortal Kombat, and The Witcher - I got high hopes
@GannonBanned Indeed, most TVs these days have Netflix apps built in. There is absolutely no reason to add it to the Switch.
I just wish Nintendo released redesigned Joy-cons. With the D-Pad of the Switch Lite. And other analog sticks that are no longer so vulnerable. No need for a Switch Pro.
@GrailUK it’s simple, they merely want an affordable upgrade that turns their switch into a PlayStation and is 100% compatible with every single existing Switch game and improves every aspect of the graphics.
It’s literally inconceivable that some of the graphics “issues” they’ve experienced are part of the game’s code, it’s a problem that a Super Dock™️ will fix due to increasing some nebulous processer with some upgraded Nivia (mumbles) just like, uh, how they released the 64DD and it wasn’t profitable, and how they downscaled the Wii and 3DS, and uh.......uh
@sanderev even if it isn’t on your TV it’s on your blu ray, your stick, your other system, your other computer, your phone.....also, we don’t even know if Netflix wants to build it.
Switch Pro is just the friends we made along the way.
@IronMan30 we’re all Switch Pro today
@GannonBanned More power to you, but just because you don’t want those features doesn’t mean others don’t as well. If the 3ds with its pixelated screen has Netflix and those features, it doesn’t make sense for the Switch to be missing them either. If it’s released, cool just ignore it, but for those who actually want it, it’ll be a difference maker.
@SilentHunter382
Backwards compatibility would be silly, unless you're talking digitally or older Switch games (the latter doesn't count). There would be virtually no point in having backwards compatibility on a console that has one screen and doesn't have a disc drive.
In terms of how frame rate goes, you already know that the Switch can handle 60fps given the right circumstances. Unfortunately, many of the games clearly went for resolution over frame rate. I would rather ask developers to give more options rather than wait on an entire console revision.
@TheBigN65 it absolutely does make sense for the Switch to be missing them as they were very open about the fact that the Switch was a game machine and they’re disinterested in the console wars and feature creep.
Sony and Microsoft and PC do what Nintendon’t - and Nintendo likes it that way.
Note: From Nintendo "No plans at this time" can easily mean that it's happening soon. Not that I think it is... Just Nintendo has quite a track record of saying this and very soon after boom, there's the thing they said wasn't in the plans.
I really only buy Nintendo games for my Switch anyhow as everything else is bought for my PC. However, I would like to be able to play my Lego games on my Switch or Tomb Raider etc. but with their current sales it doesn't seem like there is much need to make a Pro model. I am sure one exists but the speed at which it needs to be released is likely in question now with their sales trajectory.
My day 1 switch has been giving me a lot of trouble ever since the last couple of updates. It keeps losing sound while in handheld mode and the headphone jack doesn't even work when it happens. I just know that as soon as I buy a replacement nintendo will announce a new better switch...
@NathanTheAsian Well I am going based on the perception that if Nintendo uses cartridges again then I would like them to have backward compatible. If they go disc again then I don't expected it.
Now with the frame rate part. I would love it if devs would be able to patch in to take advantage of the higher specs but lets say for argument sake that they don't. Then I hope that the improved version or new system improves the performance of games to have a solid 30fps when on the Switch it would have a unstable frame rate.
I'm thinking they're in development for a new console that will be released in 2022 if anything. A four year old console is going to be losing sales eventually, and with the other companies, with released new consoles, and the fact that those consoles will put the PS4 and XBONE out by next year, Nintendo will need to raise the game, and they will, because they'll want the money too. I'm pretty sure a new one is being talked about and if anything, going through production...it's just when. We already got the main titles that release on each nintendo console, so why not? They're just waiting for the sales of the console to start dwindling, sort of like they did on the Wii.
@SilentHunter382
The problem though is that the 3DS cartridges are wider, which makes having a multi-compatible cartridge slot quite difficult and expensive to make. Plus, there's also the part most games would be stuck in handheld mode, on a console that has a stylus only sold separately. If anything, I'm expecting 3DS ports rather than backwards compatibility.
@Northwind If no new model appears in 2021 (or worse, a model which lacks compelling new features), I fear the rage will be palpable in comment threads like this one. People have "hyped" (that is to say, promised) themselves that something will appear, with perhaps a bit of unnecessary help from NL. When their self-inflated expectations are not met...
@NathanTheAsian Oh their might have been a miscommunication. When I said Backwards Compatibility I was was talking about with just switch games. I was never expecting the new system to support 3ds games. I was just hoping it would support Switch games which will add a boost in performance.
Well well well, looks like we skeptics were correct he he he
september release?
I am not sure if I would buy a revision even if there was one. I do see the market interest for it though, and if Nintendo does decide to make one, then more power to the people that do want it. I am perfectly happy with my current one, especially considering my focus right now has been on Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance games.
Honestly, the system is selling so incredibly as is that they shouldn't rock the boat until there's simply no more life left to squeeze out of it. Only then should they release a "Switch Pro," or whatever, and it should be a full-on upgrade/next-gen replacement (backwards compatible with the OG version, of course).
God, can we please just get the thing, alongside a partner direct for "Games enhanced on Super Switch"? We might finally get some modern games from Square or Capcom at that point, which would make me so happy.
No company would say differently. There are a bunch of examples if companies shooting themselves in the foot for trying.
@Kiz3000 Well no matter how beefy the hardware is, it'll ALWAYS be able to push better visuals when it has access to ground power no matter what. It just lets the cards and fans work harder than when in handheld mode. So unless they purposefully hamstring docked performance for some reason, there will never be a situation where docked and handheld performance are the same.
also nintendo life after a week : switch 4k pro leaks !
@TeslaChippie I agree with you, but because this would be a mid cycle revision, they could limit the docked performance so that all Switch's have the same docked performance. This would make marketing Switch games so much easier than having to put a "only works on Switch Pro" or "Switch pro enhanced" sticker on the box.
Limiting the docked performance in this way makes sense. Also reduces the need to allow the fans and cards to overclock.
Yeesh, people just aren't happy to wait for information on a new system or revision for when it's actually announced, huh? It'll come when it comes. I'm in no hurry. Entering month 14 of Switch V2 ownership.
@HamatoYoshi I’d agree if it wasn’t for the next generation of machines having just released, meaning that the power gap between the consoles will now be even bigger and therefore meaning that stable third party ports/versions of games are less likely. This itself wouldn’t be too bad if Nintendo themselves actually released some new games. The only NEW game of consequence coming out that we know is MHR, and there hasn’t really been any bangers since Animal Crossing last year.
Edit: I’m aware that MHR isn’t Nintendo... but you understand what I mean.
Wasn't that the same when they did a silent v2 and sold it without telling anyone til the cat got out of the bad. If anyone here thinks there weren't working on a v3 Switch it just a idiot. Take for example a Car company would they still be making something the 1990 as a 2021 and say that is a new model heck no. So same for console tech why should they be hampered by old tech and not use new tech. This is the same principal that those that think backwards never learn. Just like computers PC less then 2 or 6 month a new model or hardware is out. Everyone seems to think we should be still playing NES and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Consoles makers are already doing R&D on the next model after releasing the current model. And people are just scared that a v3 more powerful Switch is going to split owner is their delusional dreams. If will most likey be software/hardware feature to downscale or upscale depending on the game if it uses higher performance. It just seems like we got lots of moles as NintenDoomed façade as Nintendo enthusiastic that's the saddest part of this saga. People are just afraid that a portable could out muscle Coffee table consoles and that the part that scares them the most so they grab for straws to deny such system exits and most likely does. If anyone follows tech it moves on and increases performance i.e. AMD Ryzen beating iNtel at their own game. And now iNtel is running scared when they had all these many years to improve but never until a 2nd rate AMD proved otherwise. So this should be a prime example of how something people always thought was nothing until there was something - then this scares their PremaMadonna story shatters.
@SilentHunter382
Oh, that's not backwards compatibility because it would be the same console, just more powerful.
The added performance boost could help some Switch games, but I never found all of them to have a problem.
@GannonBanned This pro stuff has been mentioned too many times, much prefer the old days when a rumour was something we got excited about. Now it's more regurgitated stuff by people trying to build an online profile for themselves.
I feel similar about requests for folders etc.! I don't want folders or other apps on my switch and I don't remember Nintendo ever saying they was going to put them on there either.
Yeah with that answer it’ll probably be out in the summer.
As long as it doesn’t have exclusives and Nintendo doesn’t get lazy with docked switch game performance, I could care less. I’m not dropping another $300 to play 1-2 games a year at a slightly better frame rate or resolution.
If Nintendo does do a pro model, I’ll probably skip the next console until a pro comes out.
@sanderev "not planning to make an announcement anytime soon"
At this point 1 of 2 things will happen.
1. Nintendo launches the Switch Pro w/o an announcement.
Did they ever "announce" the Wii Family edition? That's the one w/o the Gamecube ports or memory card slots. Wii more or less were just magically replaced. If there was an announcement of that new hardware Google can't find it.
https://wiikipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Wii_Family_Edition
Did they announce the new Switch model w/ better battery life? Her's' an article, but I can't find an "announcement" of that one either. Like Wii Family it just replaced the old model.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/07/new_standard_nintendo_switch_revision_offers_significantly_improved_battery_life
So I don't think it's completely out of the question we get an improved Switch w/o an announcement, it just starts appearing on shelves.
2. Otherwise, Nintendo "reveals" the Switch Pro, but they don't consider a reveal to be an announcement, b/c Nintendo logic.
Either way, it's coming out in 2021, that answer was practically SCREAMING - new hardware - from the rooftops.
Zelda edition in November. Calling it now.
@Ryu_Niiyama You have all the best ideas! ^^
@HamatoYoshi Considering that 8 out of 10 big-budget titles cannot run on Switch, i wouldn't say "we don't need a new model." Sure, the portable concept is amazing.... But a newer model is definitely in order.
So many games are just missing, only coming out on other consoles. That cannot be ignored.
@rjejr having owned both Wii units, I’d hesitate to call the Family Edition an upgrade, installed Motion+ was good, reduced controller options and fewer stand capabilities was not
@dew12333 it’s always been weird to me because during the entirety of the Switch release cycle Nintendo was extremely forward and candid about how they were bowing out of the standard release cycle and hoping that the Switch could last them 10 years, and they wanted multiple people in the home to have their own Switch and be able to swap games and have kids play local multiplayer on trips, etc.
Then 1ish years later a credible leak that Nintendo was working on a stronger system/new system
came to light.
Shortly after we got Switch V2 (more comprehensive battery life) and Switch Lite (new-ish system).
The Switch “Pro” crowd (a dumb name that Nintendo would never, ever use - yes I know they chose Wii U) had every opportunity to say “ah, the prophecy has been fulfilled” but instead it’s become this GigaSwitch with 4k, 1080p, 2x battery life, whole new chip design, updated processing power, a brand new UX/UI, and an entire slate of multimedia apps. Also all this is backwards compatible 100%.
If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but I’ve owned every Nintendo system in real time except Wii U and this prediction sounds like an entirely different company than the one I’ve played my whole life. Also, seems a little bizarre that they’d release a new cycle update in the middle of a WILDLY successful one that has absolutely blown away all projections for the company and device, as well as introducing obsoletion to the tens of millions of people who already bought in.
I, for one, doubt it.
Do we need a Switch Pro? Yes and no. No, we don't necessarily need one, but yes, a few gains in performance and features would be a nice thing to have.
Does it make good business sense? Depends. It's not going to poke those 70 million Switch users in the eye, rather it will give some of them (myself included) a valid reason to upgrade sooner or later. New consumers then have a tier of models to choose from depending on budget, and all games will be scaled depending on which model you use (any other suggestions such as exclusives are ludicrous). Win-win.
Now..... Will it actually happen? Again, that really depends. If I was old school Nintendo, I'd be sat back rubbing my belly at all that dough I'm raking in while doing objectively very little. Then again, if I was one of the young bucks that are currently leading the charge (hopefully with my finger firmly on my pulse and nowhere near my arse), I'd be thinking in terms of keeping that momentum going in ways that don't rely purely on software (always a bit of a gamble in the current climate). A shiny new Switch that is capable of upscaling to 4K, has improved Joy-Cons, a display capable of doing VR justice etc..... That would be too much for a lot of people to resist.
Then again, Animal Crossing has proven that you don't need 4K and a buttload of games to conquer the world and is destined to be the next Skynet, so what the hell do I know
@GannonBanned Oh it was 100% a downgrade, but it was also 100% unannounced.
And really, how big was the new battery life Switch revision announcement? Anything?
While there has been WAY TOO MUCH discussion of the Switch not-going-to-be-named Pro has anybody really stopped to ask, are we getting a Pro model alongside the Switch, say $200 Lite, $250 Switch, $300 Pro, or will Nintendo simply replace the current $300 Switch w/ a newer model $300 Switch? That could still have Pro power, but still just be the Switch? Before Sony had the PS4 Pro this gen PS1 had a PSOne (their spelling, not mine) and PS2 had a Slim, and PS3 had a Slim and an awful top loading Slimmer Slim. And those were all more replacements than more expensive sold alongside models.
I don't think Nintendo wants a handheld more than $300. Nvidia was able to upgrade it's Shield TV w/ an upgraded Tegra X+ chip, maybe we're really just looking at a New Switch, actually called New Switch, that's 25% better, like New 3DS.
There is really no reason for Nintendo to keep making the Switch w/ the 5 year old Tegra X chip when the 2 year old X+ chip is available, probably for a similar price.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/15040/nvidia-reveals-new-shield-tv-tegra-x1-dolby-vision-dolby-atmos
"...new Tegra X1+ SoC that is said to be 25% faster when compared to the original one launched over four years ago. The chip essentially has the same feature set and Maxwell graphics, so games developed with the original SoC in mind will work with the new one without any problems."
Also covered here:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/10/rumour_nvidias_new_tegra_x1plus_chip_could_make_switch_performance_up_to_25_percent_faster
While I am interested in a no screen none pro tv only budget switch, I know the longer switch waits for a sequel to the switch the better it will be. Games and consoles suffer greatly from lack of patience, and we see generations of both still repeating the same mistakes over and over again without doing enough to fix them.
Switch will not get ports of all games, and ports that do come may come with compromises, thats the nature of the game. However outstanding or equal versions of games or franchises when built ground up for the switch, cheaper games to make and sell($80 Aint nobody got time 4 dat), and the value of portability and super optimized games are also the nature of the game.
@rjejr while I disagree with the Pro-theory at large, i think your “it would just be the switch but better” argument is the most tenable
@thefoxystoat heyo, I didn’t mention Rise or anything, you might have @‘d me by accident, unless I’m having a memory breakdown
12 June 2012, during an interview with IGN:"However it appears as though the company might be taking a different approach with the 3DS. According to Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo is more focused on the 3DS's successor than anything else.
"I really feel like I'm satisfied with the 3DS hardware as it is. I feel like it's the best for this generation," Miyamoto told me, when I asked about the Nikkei's recent report about a 3DS XL, and whether his company did have plans for something similar. The Nintendo executive noted that his company is always thinking about what's next. "What we're thinking about right now is probably going to be for a future generation of handheld."
Literally the next week on 21 june 2012, nintendo announces the 3DS XL.
perhaps Q3/4 then. it's coming.
good. We don't need it now
The current model is great and hope for more games to arrive as well
November is not considered "soon", right?
I think the Pro/revision would be worth it with some significant upgrades:
5000 mAh battery
6 GB RAM
64 GB Storage
More powerful chip (to run games smoother, not for exclusives)
If not, I'll wait for a backwards compatible Switch 2 with all of the above or better, along with a larger screen
2017: Switch OG
2019: Switch Lite
2021: Switch Pro
I see it.
If you were Nintendo, would you tell customers that a new Switch is around the corner, and lose the momentum of current console sales?
Nope, you'd likely milk it for all its got and spring the news of an upgraded Switch as late as possible.
Switch XL, with bigger screen, bigger joy-cons and bigger battery would be an instant buy for me. Some games already have unreadable text (looking at you Kronos) in handheld mode. Playing sideways with the joy-cons (mario kart) is limited in time before your hands hurt. Downside is the weight to it.
I think Nintendo have shown enough they will outright lie to protect the sales of existing models until the new one is out. June 2012. Nintendo put out a statement denying a 3DS revision is in the works. 3 weeks later, they announce the 3DS XL.
Why do phone manufacturers issue new variants each year? Because a lot of folk want to upgrade to a newer version.
There are thousands of Switch gamers who want to do the same. We all know what a new Switch's upgrade should look like and we will be willing to pay for it.
Selling an old model and with holding a new version is bad marketing, which Nintendo have mostly been good at.
Nintendo gamers have to put up with poorer looking games, ie. Immortals Fenyx Rising, in order to have the game portable.
@Edu23XWiiU Ahh I see, thanks.
I'd rather them focus on making better, more solid joy-cons than a "pro" model that will give a small meaningless boost to fps.
Don't believe this, it would harm current switch sales numbers if Nintendo admitted there was a better model on the way.
@JokerCK sure it is bub. Did nintendoswitchheroteenboy or something on reddit or 4chan tell ya that? or did your uncle who works in nintendo give you the inside scoop?
In the sports world, this is the equivalent of a “vote of confidence” for a coach.
@GannonBanned "“it would just be the switch but better” argument is the most tenable
Thanks. Did you upgrade your avatar pic since yesterday? I feel like we've had an exchange before now but don't recall the mask. 🤷♂️
@rjejr no? I actually took this picture when I made the account - GannonBanned was my Reddit and Twitter @‘s back in the day and I’m always a loudmouth contrarian with glasses - maybe we’ve chopped it up about pop culture before elsewhere?
@GannonBanned OK thanks. Just another sign of my increasing dementia I guess. 😁
@rjejr as one old timer to another, you’re not alone ✊
I read somewhere that most games wont take advantage of the higher specs of the Switch "Pro", as the best way to get their games to reach a high volume of people, would be to make sure their games are playable in the already widespread lower form factor.
As Developers don't want to develop games for 2 consoles, they may go this route.
However, Nintendo may replace the dock-able Switch with the Switch "Pro", and eventually revise or faze out the Switch Lite. The library of Switch Pro Only games will build up over years, not overnight, making these claims not much of an issue.
Just cancelled mz MH Rise Switch console pre-order. Must be crazy to think I'd want that over a PS5 or Xbox Series which would cost the same (or less). I own a launch Switch and a Switch Lite so really gave into my consumer urges for a while there!
@HamatoYoshi You don't need. I do.
They're not going to make a new model when they're focused on the next switch iteration which is a full generational leap from this one. Nintendo's going to try to push the switch/lite as far as it'll go but I guarantee you they're already working on the switch 2 and it will be out before 2023. impossible ports are indeed going to be impossible in the next few years without power closer to the series X and PS5, there's just no way it's going to get ports of those games beyond the first year or so.
Seems a lot of people either misinterpreted or didn't read the tweet in the article. Nintendo said last year they would release NO new hardware in 2020. While this time they said no announcements to make in the NEXT FEW months. Very different implications...
Either way, could be nothing, could be something.
@OorWullie people just read too much into stuff that doesn't mean anything hahahah
mmm, nintendo never was at playstation or xbox level, but their system was always at very original performance level and was improving by years and now it is at very high graphical level, and people want a nintendo to match a xbox series x or PS5, i think they ask much, don't forget many people can't actualy aford to upgrade consoles
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