Earlier this week, a report mentioned that Nintendo was looking at releasing an upgraded version of the Switch console in 2021. Now, a new report has weighed in to say that this is indeed the case. Not only that, but Nintendo is apparently looking at the possibility of 4K visuals for this new hardware.
Nintendo is also planning a host of new games alongside the line-up, which the report says is why this year has been relatively fallow for Switch releases.
This is according to Bloomberg, which cites sources familiar with the upgraded Switch console. The report notes that the new Nintendo Switch's specs haven't been finalized yet, though it notes that Nintendo has apparently been investigating 4K visuals and more power for the new unit.
A new version of the Switch isn't a massive surprise, and has been rumored since 2019 in one form or another.
The other exciting part of the report is what it says about software. Bloomberg mentions that its sources say the release of this new hardware will be bolstered with a "slew" of new games from both Nintendo and its partners, covering a range of types of players.
It seems unlikely to us that Nintendo will try to release a mid-generation upgrade that could compete with Xbox Series X and PS5 in terms of power, but in terms of taking attention away from the consoles, planning an upgraded console for 2021 doesn't seem like a bad idea. By that point, the Switch will be four years old.
Could 2021 be when we see Breath of the Wild 2 release, then? It'd certainly be a cool way to show off this new hardware.
The report notes that Nintendo didn't comment on the story.
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What else the report tells us
The report says that this new console won't be assembled until 2021, as Nintendo focuses on making new units of the Switch and Switch Lite.
If you've been hunting for a Nintendo Switch this year to no avail, too, something else here is worth knowing: Bloomberg notes that production issues with the console have 'largely' been sorted, partly thanks to declining demand for smartphone components from suppliers.
If you want to pick up a Switch later this year, then, you might be in luck. But you also might want to wait until next year, if a more powerful – and inevitably more expensive – console sounds appealing to you.
