For Nintendo fans, October is shaping up to be a very interesting month with the reveal of the next Super Smash Bros. DLC fighter, along with the release of the new Nintendo Switch OLED model just in the next week alone. While the new version of the Switch has been put on display in Japan, people lucky enough to see it have praised the new screen and other features. Just before the console has launched, however, reports have come in that say that the OLED was originally meant to have one big omitted feature: 4K support.
There were plenty of rumors circling around about the potential of a Nintendo Switch "Pro" model. Those hopes were quickly dashed with the announcement of the OLED model and an announcement from Nintendo saying there were no plans for any other Switch models beyond the one coming out this year. As enticing as the OLED model's new screen and wired connection support are, many fans were upset without 4K graphic capabilities.
According to a report by Bloomberg, a few employees from development studios have shared anonymously that their company is in possession of a dev kit from Nintendo that actually features 4K for the Switch. Upon receiving the device, they were even told to try and focus on making games that specifically used the technical upgrade, as 4K is huge for the market at the moment. The report goes on to say that these developers were surprised when the model was announced without support for the very thing they were told to focus on.
Bloomberg spoke with people who knew more details about Nintendo's hardware plans, and it seems the feature was cut due to hardware supply chain shortages on Nvidia's end due to the pandemic. The console was originally reported to include a chip by Nvidia that focused on 4K that was unable to be supplied in time, so the OLED Switch had to go without it.
There's still hope for a 4K Switch, however. The companies who have the dev kits in their possession have stated that they plan to be able to release the games they've been working on sometime late next year, which either means that's enough time to work back on the features they've introduced, or Nintendo and Nvidia think they'll be able to produce a true 4K Switch pro around that time.
This is something fans should keep their eye on when it comes to looking into purchasing a newer Switch model. While it seems that putting out a 4K console next year might be risky when it comes to the OLED version's sales, it isn't anything unheard of for Nintendo. It seems only time will tell if the dreams of a Nintendo Switch Pro are about to be realized in full.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model releases on October 8th, 2021.
Source: Bloomberg