Despite being debunked endlessly, the rumors of new Nintendo Switch models continue to persist, a cycle of endless speculation and debate which is now gaining more and more traction.
If you’ve missed out on this development so far, reports of a new Nintendo Switch console coming out later this year surfaced back in April. There were two consoles reportedly in the works: a smaller, cheaper Nintendo Switch with less functionality than the current one, plus a ‘Pro’ model with updated hardware aimed at enthusiasts looking for an upgrade.
After a while, only one of these rumors made it out alive, with the smaller and cheaper Nintendo Switch being slated for release this fall, according to Nikkei. The reports of the ‘Pro’ model has been disproven at the same time as this report, with Nikkei reporting that this updated version will carry upgraded hardware, but will still look the same as the existing Nintendo Switch; a far cry from what the rumors have been exaggerating as an all-new model.
We finally get to today, where another report from the Wall Street Journal basically confirms that these two Switch models – the smaller and cheaper version, plus the minor upgraded one – have entered production stages. This is all happening despite the looming threat of US President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff war with China, which could be an issue as most of the components for the Nintendo handheld are made in China.
The report goes into more detail regarding the upgraded Nintendo Switch model, which looks to be an update on par with the branded ‘New’ Nintendo 3DS models. At the same time, the lower-end Switch model sports an entirely new look, but with less functionality overall, making it less expensive. It’s rumored to be lacking the Joy-Con rumble feature, as well as missing a dock to connect it to a TV.
The report also mentions that in order to combat the incoming tariffs, Nintendo has reportedly moved some of the production to Southeast Asia.
If this turns out to be reliable, we can expect these new Nintendo Switch models to arrive just in time for the holidays this year, which is peak season for console releases. I’m particularly interested in how the upgraded 'pro' Switch model could work, seeing how Nintendo has been more ambitious with its ports recently; from the sprawling level design of Alien: Isolation to the graphically intensive open-world wonders of The Witcher 3, developers could do a lot with the reported upgrades for Nintendo’s handheld console.
