TECH NEWS – A recent report on Nintendo’s financial outlook doesn’t look too encouraging for fans hoping to see a Switch Pro console or Switch 2 soon.

 

 

For years, Nintendo has been rumoured to release an upgraded version of its Switch console, often referred to as Switch Pro. Although long awaited by fans, such a product has yet to materialise. Unfortunately, it looks improbable that we can expect a Switch Pro-like product before next spring.

This has been confirmed by a report from Nikkei (via EuroGamer) that Nintendo has no plans to produce a new Switch model this financial year.

The current fiscal year ends in March 2023, so the earliest Nintendo could launch a new Switch console would be sometime after that. This means that anyone who wants a Switch console will have to settle for one of the currently available models.

At the time of writing, there are three different Switch models to choose from. There’s the traditional Nintendo Switch console and the Switch Lite, which takes away the system’s ability to function as a home console and functions purely as a handheld device. Then there’s the Switch OLED, the latest and most expensive version of the Switch to hit the market. The Switch OLED, as its name suggests, uses an OLED screen and comes with a dock with built-in Ethernet capabilities, but it has no other significant improvements over the standard model.

The Nintendo Switch’s games lag behind its competitors in terms of performance, which is why many have called on Nintendo to release a mid-generation ‘Switch Pro’ update.

Such a console would presumably be able to run games at a smoother frame rate than the current Switch, not to mention be able to deliver games with higher resolution. However, despite ongoing rumours that a Switch Pro is in the pipeline, it has yet to be announced.

It’s been over five years since the Nintendo Switch was released, so some may think it would be more logical for Nintendo to move forward with a true Switch 2 console, or whatever the successor is eventually called.

However, Nintendo has recently announced that the Switch is about halfway through its lifespan, so that a mid-generation upgrade might make more sense.

Nintendo Switch hardware sales are down slightly compared to last year, and a Switch Pro console may be what’s needed to get those numbers back up. So, a Switch Pro console or a Switch 2 should appear sooner or later; but maybe it’s better not to expect any big announcements just yet…

Source: EuroGamer