Think twice if you thought The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s release would herald the arrival of a new Nintendo Switch Pro. Nintendo has said it won’t release any new hardware in the upcoming year.
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According to remarks made by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa on a recent earnings call. Nintendo sold 18 million Switch consoles in the most recent fiscal year, which ended in March 2023. It increased the total number of sales for the platform to over 125 million. After the Nintendo DS (which sold over 154 million copies) and the PS2 (which sold over 155 million), the Nintendo Switch is now the third most popular video game system.
Date and pricing predictions
A second-generation Switch might appear over the next 12 months since two recent rumors have surfaced hinting to its existence. It is reportedly scheduled to launch around the same time as the PS5 Pro.
Nintendo’s president Shuntaro Furukawa said during the company’s annual financial report that there are no plans to release new hardware during the upcoming fiscal year. It is contrary to our initial expectations that it would happen in 2023. This indicates that the Switch 2 will be available after March 2024.
This is sad because May 12’s release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom seemed like the perfect day to introduce new hardware. Since the Switch 2 is not yet available, we will have to play Link’s most recent journey on one of the Switch’s older consoles.
The Nintendo Switch 4k costs $349, £309, or $539 in Australia. Therefore, if we had to estimate, we would assume the price of a new Switch would be around that range, especially if it does have an OLED screen.
Features of Nintendo Switch Pro
We can make well-informed assumptions based on the little information about Nintendo Switch Pro.
If the Switch 2 maintains the same control layout as the Switch, we’d want to see the Joy-Cons enhanced. Hence, they experience less potential stick wandering and have analog triggers for more accurate control in games like racing. With the Switch 2, it would also be nice to see some ergonomic improvements, assuming Nintendo does decide to remain with the Switch’s basic design.
Additionally, we would want to see a longer battery life as the Switch usually runs out of power after a few hours of playing games like Breath of the Wild. It would be more useful as a gaming machine on occasions like lengthy international flights if it had a larger battery.
We would also like to see enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity for the Nintendo Switch Pro. Better Wi-Fi may not be the first improvement that comes to mind. But it may make a significant difference in things like game streaming or downloading games quickly.
Backward compatibility
Given the demand for such features on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, backward compatibility is one feature we hope to see in the Nintendo Switch 2. Performance and visual fidelity should improve if older Switch games run on newer hardware.
A recent rumor that backward compatibility for Switch games may not occur with the Switch 2 is unsettling. If Nintendo does not rely on its more known and older game catalog, it would be a little disappointing and would need Nintendo to have a fantastic launch selection for a next-generation Switch.
Additionally, we have argued that the Switch Joy-Cons must be included in the backward compatibility. We expect that other current Switch accessories, like the Ring Fit Adventure and external controllers, would also be compatible with the Switch 2. Backup Joy-Cons may be a pricey add-on for the current Switch, so if they render meaningless with the Switch 2, it might be very upsetting.
Final Outlook
Even though the smaller Switch Lite later joined the original Nintendo Switch and later the Switch OLED with a larger and improved screen, it appears that a Switch Pro model with improved performance specs and the ability to play games at higher resolutions than 1080P is doomed for at least another year.
There is no question that the Switch will be replaced, but what Nintendo has in store for it is unclear. Will the business keep using the hybrid handheld strategy? Will it satisfy consumer demand for a Nintendo Switch Pro while sporting a new moniker and gimmick? We won’t know until March 2024.
