New And Improved Nintendo Switch Rumored For Early 2021 Release

A Taiwanese newspaper claims that a new model of the Nintendo Switch could be released as soon as the first quarter of 2021.

Newspaper Economic Daily News cites a variety of manufacturing sources even as it targets January through March of next year as a possible release window for this console, which would be around the fourth anniversary of the release of the Switch in March 2017.

Nintendo has not confirmed that a new model is coming soon or even in the works but there are indications that the company eventually plans to release a new model of its successful and versatile console, GameSpot notes.

By citing manufacturing sources, Economic Daily News is citing entities that need to know about a system in advance of its launch date in order to produce it and get it on store shelves.

Regarding specific improvements over the current Switch model though, only a few details have been revealed such as enhancement in “interactivity,” which could mean any number of things, and a better display.

In 2019, Nintendo released the only significant revision to the Switch to date in the form of the Switch Lite. That lower-priced revision stripped the ability to dock the system with a TV, even as the standard Switch gained an improved battery.

That better battery was just a small tweak to the already existing Switch, something that you likely would have never been aware of if you did not know about the change in the first place.

On the other extreme of the spectrum, rumors have swirled that Nintendo has been planning a higher-end version of the Switch, which some people online have dubbed the “Switch Pro.” The Wall Street Journal reported in early 2019 that two new models would come out that year, one of which turned out to be the Switch Lite, and an "enhanced" system meant for "avid" gamers.

Nikkei eventually reported that work on a next-generation Switch would begin following the Switch Lite, but it was unclear if that would be a full successor to the Switch or a tweaked model like what the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X have become.

The success that the Switch has been had Nintendo suggesting two years ago that the lifespan of this console could extend beyond the standard 5-6 years of current gaming consoles. As proof of that success, presently, the Share the Fun sale is offering 50% off multiplayer titles on the Switch.

"When you think about what can be done with the Nintendo Switch as a device that can be taken on the go and that every person has in their hands to play, you realize it has many features not available on any other hardware to date," Shigeru Miyamoto said during an investors call.

"Up until now, the hardware lifecycle has trended at around five or six years, but it would be very interesting if we could prolong that life cycle, and I think you should be looking forward to that," he added.

Although Nintendo denied plans for a new Switch model for this year, this latest report suggests that 2021 could be the new target date. Earlier this year, researcher Mike Heskin pointed out that Switch 10.0.0 firmware contained a reference to what might be a new Switch model.

Still, given Nintendo’s history of releasing new hardware as a standard part of business, the current Switch and Switch Lite seem to indicate that there isn’t a lot of pressure on Nintendo at present to roll out a new console just for the sake of it.

With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X ready to engage in a full war this holiday season, Nintendo can afford to sit back, relax, and comfortably watch the fireworks for the time being.