Nintendo to Produce a "Switch Pro" Console Later This Year

Fans of Nintendo are buzzing with excitement as sources close to the company detail upcoming plans for a Nintendo Switch Pro console.

A recent report by Bloomberg, with statements by people familiar with the plan, reveals that Nintendo plans to release an upgraded version of their hit console, the Switch. The new edition will feature a seven-inch OLED screen sourced by Samsung Display. This will allow for better battery efficiency, 720p resolution in handheld mode, and a better degree of contrast than with the original Switch hardware. There are also claims that the new Switch model will offer 4k resolution when docked into a TV.

They claim that mass production of the new model will begin in June, with an initial production schedule of one million units per month.

Theres a lot to unpack here. First is that its not literally called the Switch Pro. This is just a community given name for such a concept. The idea of a Switch Pro has been floating around various gaming communities for a few years now. Producing upgrades variations of current consoles has become an increasingly common trend, with Xbox and PlayStation having two variations per console the last two generations. And with the Nintendo Switch being about four years old, its a prime time to introduce an improved version. And since they did the same thing with the 3DS, we know that theyre not against the concept.

This now brings to question what other hardware changes to expect. While the screen is only slightly larger, that will mean the console won't be the same size as the Joycon controllers. Theres no word at this time if it means the new edition will have a thinner border, allowing traditional Joycons to connect as normal, or if there will be a new type of Joycon (maybe one without drifting issues) that comes with the new console.

And what of the processors? The current Switch uses a somewhat aged Tegra chip. While it performs perfectly well for its purposes, this is an opportunity to implement a more modern chip. And they may need to if they want games to achieve 4K resolution.

Lastly, the software. How will the new console change the software its playing? Will there be games that can only be played on the New Switch console and not the original? Will games offer a higher quality setting for people on the updated console? What incentives or restrictions will be introduced to separate the two generations in a meaningful way? We simply dont know.

Based on all this information, we may hear an official announcement by Nintendo soon. And if theyre quick, we might even see the Switch Pro (or whatever it will be called) hitting store shelves by Holiday 2021. Time will tell.