It is no secret that the Nintendo Switch has been a major critical and commercial success, thanks in large part to a great selection of generation-defining exclusives. While games like the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild and Splatoon 3 are imminent releases for the console, many have high hopes for a mid-life refresh of the platform.
Rumors for an updated Pro console can be dated back to as early as 2019, dubbed by the public as the Nintendo Super Switch or simply the Nintendo Switch Pro. While Nintendo did update the console, the announcement of the Nintendo Switch OLED has been met with criticisms mostly stemming from fan expectations. Still, the OLED could only be the beginning, laying the groundwork for a proper Pro version of Nintendo's latest system.
Paving the Way For A Pro Upgrade
While the Switch OLED isn't a game changer for Switch owners, it does pave the way for a future Pro upgrade. Apart from the Switch’s obvious disparities in the hardware department, the biggest complaints that fans have with the console are its screen and the joy-cons.
The Switch’s original screen looks washed out by modern standards, an issue that the OLED model has addressed with a bigger screen that boasts more vivid colors and deeper blacks. The joy-cons have been a major issue for Switch owners, which has led to more than a few class-action lawsuits on Nintendo. The Japanese giant recently admitted that the joy-cons have been updated on the OLED model, although it might be too early to pass a judgment on its quality just yet.
Both of these upgrades might seem relatively trivial to existing Switch owners, but they are definitely worth the extra $50 for newcomers. Furthermore, it's quite likely that fans would receive the same joy-cons and the bigger screen if the supposed Switch Pro ever becomes a reality. Given the current scenario of chip shortages, it’s also possible that Nintendo may already have a Switch Pro planned in the works - but pushed it farther off so as to not run into manufacturing issues for a brand new chip.
Nintendo Needs A Switch Pro
A Switch Pro is definitely needed, as Switch ports of multi-platform games have been struggling to run at competent visuals and frame rates for some time now. Of course, a majority of Nintendo’s target demographic purchases its console for its first-party offerings, which have been going strong with recent releases such as Metroid Dread. However, new competitors such as Steam Deck will undoubtedly challenge Switch’s uncontested monopoly for a hybrid gaming solution. Valve’s offering is a lot faster than Nintendo’s, and fans wanting to keep up with the latest multi-platform releases on the go will have a lot more reasons to gravitate towards Valve.
In addition to the plethora of rumors surrounding an updated Pro console, just a brief look at Nintendo’s history suggests that something could definitely be in the works. Upgrades such as the likes of Game Boy Color, DSi, and the New Nintendo 3DS are proof of Nintendo’s past mid-life refreshes, and it does seem that one such refresh is needed before fans get a glimpse of what’s next for Nintendo. While the Switch OLED may not have met fan expectations when it was revealed, it could be a big stepping stone that helps bring them closer to the Switch upgrade they have been hoping for.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model is available now.