It's official: that new Nintendo Switch isn't coming this year

(Image credit: Future)

If you were waiting with baited breath for a new Nintendo Switch console model in the near future, we have bad news for you: Nintendo's CEO Shuntaro Furukawa has shut down rumors of a hardware refresh, saying that there are "no plans to launch a new Nintendo Switch model during 2020."

Rumors of a new Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Pro, or Nintendo Switch 4K – whatever you think it might be called – have been growing in recent months, with speculation that a far more powerful Switch model could be on its way.

Given that the original Switch can only output to 720p in handheld mode, and 1080p to a TV when docked, many are hoping a new model would see a jump in resolution to match the likes of the 4K-capable Xbox One and PS4 Pro.

There had been reports of a new console getting a mid-year release around E3 2020, but recent rumors have tempered those hopes, pointing at most to a slightly revamped processor – the release of the handheld-only Switch Lite last year has probably kept Nintendo's factories sufficiently busy too.

The hardware we deserve

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Furukawa's comments came at a financial briefing to mark the end of the latest fiscal year, with an expected forecast of 18 million Switch console sales – and a whopping $1 billion (£760 million / AU$1.5 billion) made from Nintendo's Android and iOS mobile games.

We have now got word of a new Nintendo Switch design to mark the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in March, with a peaceful blue/green color palette and adorably decorated dock – it may not be a jump in power, but it's certainly the kind of fan service designed to tide us over until there is one.

Via IGN

Henry St Leger

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.