The Nintendo Switch Pro rumors have been ever-flowing recently, as a new upgraded version of the hit hybrid home console appears to be in the works. Leaks, inside info, and rumors have spilled out over the past couple of years, and the details have ramped up recently leading up to the all-digital E3 2021 event. While nothing is confirmed, there is a chance that Nintendo will soon finally reveal a new Nintendo Switch Pro, and if that happens, it could be massive for fans and for The Big N.
The most recent bombshell Nintendo Switch Pro rumor may be one of the more legitimate ones to date. If true, Nintendo would be revealing the new console very soon and the console would be in living rooms by the end of this fall. Interestingly, the new Switch Pro would also sit side-by-side the less-powerful Nintendo Switch Lite. While fans wait for a genuine reveal from Nintendo, it is fascinating to speculate on the rumors. The combination of a powerful upgraded Switch Pro and the handheld Switch Lite could set Nintendo up for sustained success over the next half-decade.
The Newest Switch Pro Rumor
The details of the newest Switch Pro rumor are very intriguing. According to the Bloomberg report, the new console will have a larger OLED display, higher resolution (possibly 4K), be more pricey, and it will be more powerful. The new Switch Pro will also phase out the original 2017 system. Meanwhile, the Switch Lite will remain. Additionally, the new Switch Pro has a name that only a select few know.
Of course, all of this report should be filed under rumors and speculation for now, but where there is smoke there is often fire. And recently there was a new Nintendo Switch Pro listing on Amazon Mexico that aligns again with this newest set of rumors. It is looking like something big from Nintendo may be right around the corner.
The Nintendo Switch Lite is Here to Stay, the Original Nintendo Switch is Being Phased Out
The news of a possible brand new Nintendo Switch Pro console may have partially overshadowed two important details of the report; the idea that the 2017 original Switch would be phased out and that the Switch Lite is here to stay. It makes sense that Nintendo would continue to lean on the handheld-only version of the console, as just this year Nintendo released a new color iteration of the Nintendo Switch Lite. The two different versions of the Switch (handheld only and the standard hybrid Switch) have worked very well thus far. So that looks to continue with the release of the new Nintendo Switch Pro; just with the Switch Pro replacing the 2017 original Switch.
This decision from Nintendo would be both a logical and financial one. According to Nintendo's recent financial information, the Switch Lite outsold the standard Switch in 2020. The Switch family of consoles has now sold a staggering 84.59 million units since 2017. In 2020, the Switch sold 28.8 million units, with the Lite snagging 14.7 million of that. If the reports are true, it makes sense to keep the Switch Lite on the market. Meanwhile, the 2017 original Switch will fade away and the new more powerful Pro model will replace it.
How the Switch Pro and Switch Lite Can Work Perfectly Together
Fans have wanted a Switch Pro for a long time. In fact, the Nintendo Switch Pro is in some ways the worst kept secret in gaming. If it finally arrives this fall and the Lite remains, the 1-2 punch of a Switch Pro and a Switch Lite can be perfect for both Nintendo and its fans. The idea of phasing out the 2017 Switch model makes sense from a marketing standpoint, as it would be confusing to try to sell three different skews.
The Nintendo Switch Lite can remain an affordable $200 option that will feel like Nintendo's old-school handheld consoles. It will still be able to play Nintendo's modern games--keeping it up to date--and fans will have the option to use the console as an on-the-go device or something to purchase for younger gamers.
Meanwhile, the new Nintendo Switch Pro can be a high-end option (perhaps $350 or $400), will have a better screen, be more powerful, have higher resolution, and will be closer to competing with some of the newer next-gen consoles (or at least something along the lines of the Xbox Series S perhaps). In addition, more rumored details of the Nintendo Switch Pro give the console an ethernet cable, a better kickstand, and more.
Nintendo used to thrive on a combination of a handheld console and a home console. The Game Boy and Nintendo DS family of devices were homerun systems for The Big N. That has now been simplified for Nintendo and its fans, as all games are developed for one single console brand; the Nintendo Switch. And that is where this new setup had already been a solid one.
The hybrid nature--and now the Switch Lite handheld only idea--has allowed players to have a Nintendo handheld and Nintendo home console that plays the same games. Based on the pure power, the line-up of games, and more, many could argue that the Nintendo Switch is the best Nintendo handheld of all time. Swapping the 2017 original Switch with a Switch Pro for that 1-2 punch only creates more of a value proposition for fans.
The Switch 1-2 Punch Would Be Set Up to Compete for Long-Term Success
While it is hard to know how the new Switch Pro will compete without understanding the details and specs, an updated console that phases out the original 2017 version will automatically extend the lifestyle of the Nintendo Switch as a whole. The rumors point to the idea that the Switch Pro will be more powerful and have better resolution. If the console could even get close to something like the Xbox Series S, that would be an exciting start. Nintendo's president has said that Nintendo's focus is on "fun" when creating any new console, but when making something like an upgraded system (DSi, New Nintendo 3DS), the company usually hones in on technology.
A more powerful Switch will not only help with better-looking Switch games like Breath of the Wild 2 and first-party software, but it would also help with third-party support. There is the idea that games would be exclusive to the Switch Pro, but that may not be needed. Just like the Microsoft provides a lower-end Xbox Series S and a higher-end Xbox Series X that play the same games, Nintendo could pull off the same principle with the Switch Lite and Pro.
Currently, the Switch is in the middle of its lifecycle, according to Nintendo. While the sales have not slowed down, Nintendo appears to be getting ahead of the game; if the rumors are to be believed. A powerful Switch Pro to go along with an affordable Switch Lite is a great idea. Nintendo often has games that are gorgeous in their art style and dynamic in their game design. Those games can still be playable and enjoyed on an on-the-go Nintendo Switch Lite. Meanwhile, those same games could be breathtaking on a more powerful and new Nintendo Switch Pro.
The Nintendo Switch Pro is rumored to be in development.