The upgraded Nintendo Switch model with its (possible) OLED screen and 4K output might be arriving sooner than we expected, according to a new report.
Financial newswire Bloomberg reported Thursday morning Australian time that the upgraded Switch, which we’ve been calling the Switch Pro for simplicity’s sake, could be released as soon as September this year. That’s not completely finalised — the console might also be launched in October — but Bloomberg adds that assembly of the upgraded handheld is due to begin in July, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
The console, as reported earlier and hinted at by Universal Display Corp, would ship with a 7-inch OLED screen produced by Samsung. What’s more interesting, however, is that the upgraded Switch is intended to replace the existing Switch, which will be phased out over time. It’s not liable to come in at the same price, as higher labour costs and more expensive components (along with the ongoing components nightmare that’s affecting consumer tech) push the price of the console higher.
But that’s unlikely to be much of a problem for Nintendo. After all, the company has already sold more than 80 million Nintendo Switch consoles, with plans to sell another 30 million by the end of 2021. The console’s continued success has partially been down to its availability, as well as strong lineup of new indie titles, re-releases and successful first-party titles.
The main question is when Nintendo will officially announce its new console. The current expectation is that it’ll do so during E3 this year, although the Japanese corporation hasn’t announced when it’s holding its traditional E3 Direct. Nintendo could also continue its trend of surprising people out of nowhere by revealing the console before then, keeping its direct wholly focused on new games and new reveals. Whatever happens, we’ll keep you posted as soon as we know more.
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