The Nintendo Switch Pro, or whatever Nintendo's upgraded Switch console ends up being called, is one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry. Numerous insiders and others have said that the Nintendo Switch Pro is in the works, though there is some disagreement on exactly when it will be revealed and when it will be released to the public. Due to insider claims and retailer leaks, it seemed Nintendo was finally going to pull the curtain back on the console this week, but that no longer seems to be happening. And in fact, the Switch Pro reveal may have to wait until after E3 at this point.

In the latest episode of the GamesBeat Decides podcast, industry insider Jeff Grubb touched on the Nintendo Switch Pro and the disappointment over it not having been revealed this week as some expected. Grubb provided "informed speculation" that the Nintendo Switch Pro reveal isn't going to happen before E3 as previously expected. Grubb posits that it was possible that a Nintendo Switch Pro announcement before E3 was "always in the cards," but Nintendo opted to wait a bit longer for whatever reason.

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As for when the Nintendo Switch Pro release date could be, Grubb said that he "always heard 2022," but said that 2021 could also be a possibility. Grubb believes that Nintendo will focus on games at E3 2021, which the company itself has confirmed, and then reveal the Nintendo Switch Pro a little later, likely a couple of months ahead of when it will actually be released to the public. "Hopefully we still see it soon," Grubb added.

Whenever Nintendo does decide to properly announce the Nintendo Switch Pro console, the reveal should answer some lingering questions about the console. Fans want to know when they will be able to buy it, if the Switch Pro 4K resolution rumors are true, and perhaps most importantly, how much it will cost. A retailer leak has suggested that the Nintendo Switch Pro price will be somewhere in the $400 range, though again, Nintendo has yet to make any official announcements about the rumored upgraded console.

If the rumors are to be believed, this more expensive, more powerful Switch console could completely replace the existing one. According to the leaks, Nintendo will be moving forward with the Switch Pro and the Switch Lite as its primary hardware products, phasing out the original Switch in the process. Whether or not that's accurate remains to be seen, so hopefully Nintendo itself offers some clarification soon and the speculation can be put to rest.

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