RUMOR: Nintendo to Release an Upgraded Switch Next Year

The Nintendo Switch was released early last year (geez, really? Time flies…) and was enormously successful, selling nearly 20 million units in just over a year, despite not having the world’s biggest library at launch and the less-than-fabulous reputation of the Wii U. But all hype is bound to fade, and now that the Switch is just another game console Nintendo is feeling the pinch of declining sales. While the release of Super Smash Bros Ultimate will likely ship a few consoles, that’s a short-term solution: and according to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo has another plan to increase revenue for their current console – pulling a Sony and Microsoft and shipping a new, improved version of the Switch.

This revised console would be similar to the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One S, in that it would be a technical upgrade while still being compatible with Switch games. While the Wall Street Journal reports most of these new and improved features are currently being discussed internally, one of the more prominent suggestions is upgrading to a better LCD screen that would make the console, smaller, more energy-efficient, and have crisper graphics. Other changes, such as improved internal memory and more processing power, could probably be assumed, but others, such as a better graphics card, might not be a priority for the Big N, who have never tried to be the most powerful system on the market, but that doesn't mean it's off the table.

These are all rumors, of course, but it’s not as if there’s no precedent for this kind of thing from Nintendo. Ever since the SNES Nintendo has released “upgrades” by way of peripheries and add-ons, although this would be the first time I can recall that Nintendo just straight-up re-released a better version of their console. But then, with Nintendo also charging money to use their online services for the first time, it seems they’re getting more willing to embrace certain conventions of the modern console market, so this is would be less than surprising.

If it’s true, in any case.