The Switch has become the console that saved Nintendo from its troubled Wii U era. With over 4 years under its belt now, it has quickly become one of the Japanese video game company's best-selling systems to date, revolutionizing handheld and home console gaming with its hybrid design. However, for the past few months, rumors and supposed leaks have swirled about a more powerful console revision coming in the form of a Switch Pro.
While these rumors peaked in March of this year, they have been mostly quiet ever since. It seems that the most credible rumors of a Switch Pro came from a Bloomberg report mentioning a slightly larger, OLED display, higher resolutions, and more powerful internals as well. Now, a new report from Bloomberg has added some additional details, confirming a potential release window for later this year.
Bloomberg's latest Switch Pro report claims that the upcoming console revision will be priced higher than the base $300 model, and may actually see a reveal ahead of Nintendo's digital E3 presentation this June. Reportedly, the new Switch model will exist alongside the budget Switch Lite, while the original model is gradually phased out, with the Switch Pro ramping up production from October to December to prepare for release.
The new Bloomberg report also claims that the reasoning for a pre-E3 reveal is so that developers can show off their more technically-impressive upcoming titles for the system come June. The official name of the console is supposedly known only by select individuals at Nintendo, with assemblers beginning to ship units as early as July. Bloomberg adds that the widespread semi-conductor shortage, which has affected the production of other new consoles like the Xbox Series S/X and the PS5, has also taken a toll on the Nintendo Switch revision.
Prior to Bloomberg's new report, credible Nintendo insider Emily Rogers also strikingly similar new information on the new Switch model. In addition to confirming Bloomberg's previous claims about a new display and more powerful chips, Rogers also reiterates that Nintendo is aiming for a Switch Pro release sometime around September and October, with an official reveal potentially coming sooner than previously thought.
While nothing is official just yet, it seems that Bloomberg and Rogers are on the same page about many details regarding the Switch revision. Fans have debated whether the console will be revealed at E3, or whether it will be revealed this year at all, but it seems that in typical Nintendo fashion, fans can expect some surprises in the coming months.
The Nintendo Switch Pro is rumored to be in development.
Source: Bloomberg