It Will Be Sold Alongside the Switch Lite
After years of speculation about a possible Switch Pro, we may finally see an upgraded Switch replacement announced in the next few months. Bloomberg has released a report stating that the new Switch will be released in September or October, and the long-awaited upgrade is expected to be shown off ahead of E3 2021. This is presumably so that third parties working on games for the upgraded Switch can showcase their work as part of E3, before the Nintendo digital showcase currently scheduled for later that same week. This would allow Nintendo to focus its E3 line-up on software projects such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 or Metroid Prime 4.
Apparently, the upgraded Switch will likely be priced higher than the $299 original. It will be sold alongside the existing $199 Switch Lite, with the Switch Lite being slowly phased out over time. Bloomberg claims that Nintendo plans to begin assembly of the new Switch replacement as early as July, and that production is expected to ramp up October-December quarter despite pandemic-driven widespread semiconductor shortages. These shortages have greatly impacted the development of automobiles, TVs, headphones, and games consoles–yes, including the Nintendo Switch. If Nintendo really has decided to introduce a Switch upgrade in this climate, it may be quite a risky move.
Bloomberg also states that: “Suppliers are confident they can fulfill Nintendo’s orders despite the ongoing chip shortages. Its production lines are better prepared for the potential component shake-up and the parts Nintendo is using are subject to less competition than those in its rivals’ more powerful consoles.”
Note, however, that nothing is set in stone yet and a Nintendo spokesperson declined to comment on the possibility of a Switch upgrade coming down the pipeline.
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