Nintendo Switch updates have been quite mysterious lately. While fans are used to seeing smaller updates containing bug fixes, stability improvements, and updates to the infamous swear word list, larger updates are typically spruced in-between, adding more significant features like last year's button remapping update. However, fans have noticed a lot going on behind the scenes of Switch updates lately.
Datamines of recent updates to the system have shown changes to the Switch's bluetooth audio drivers, information about its dock, and more. But earlier this week, Nintendo pulled the console's latest update, version 12.0.3, shortly after being pushed out to the public, as fans began noticing a variety of connectivity issues. While the company has reportedly never done this previously with the Switch, the reasoning behind the incident has officially been revealed.
Nintendo's official Japanese customer service Twitter account has revealed that the 12.0.3 update was pulled due to issues with some new microSDXC cards. General translations from the Japanese Twitter account seem to point to a plethora of connectivity issues experienced by users with newly-added microSDXC cards, and fans who experienced issues reported difficulties connecting to the Nintendo eShop, downloading other updates and software, etc.
Previously, some fans had begun to worry that the new 12.0.3 update was actually capable of corrupting certain microSDXC cards, however, that does not seem to be the case, as the SD cards seem to have simply led to connection issues and nothing more. As of this morning, it seems that Nintendo has resumed distributing the 12.0.3 update for the Switch. In new tweets, the company has provided support links should issues persist when downloading the new update. It also mentions that Switch owners with newly-added microSDXC cards can follow a set of troubleshooting steps should they suspect that their SD card is what is causing issues for them.
With such never-before-seen issues occurring on the Switch so close to Nintendo's virtual E3 presentation next week, many fans grew suspicious that something deeper could be going on behind the scenes, mainly in light of recent Switch Pro rumors. Late last month, rumors of a Nintendo Switch console revision exploded online, with various insiders and supposed leakers stating that a reveal could come any day now.
Regardless, Nintendo fans eagerly await to see what the company has to present at E3 next Tuesday. Nintendo has stated that it plans to focus exclusively on software, mostly games coming out in 2021, so many hoping for news on upcoming hardware may have had their hopes dashed. However, fans have also come to learn that Nintendo works in mysterious ways, so it seems that only time may tell.