While both the PS5 or the Xbox Series are stupidly difficult to buy at the moment, a third new game console could enter the fray this year in the form of the Nintendo Switch Pro sometime this year.
At least that’s according to industry analysts speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, who predict an upgraded Nintendo Switch is coming in 2021. While the Nintendo Switch 2 – a full sequel to Nintendo’s stellar hybrid console – looks to be a way off, a Pro version could bring a boost in power and resolution.
Dr Serkan Toto of Kantan Games is anticipating that this year Nintendo will be launching a “beefed-up 4K device.”
Rumors of this have been around for some time. But given reports that Nintendo has been asking game developers to support 4K TVs in docked mode, we may expect to hear something more concrete in the near future.
Ampere Analysis’ Piers Harding-Rolls further added credence to this rumor by noting: “Last year I was unconvinced there would be a new flagship model Switch in 2020, but it makes more commercial sense to release an updated version in 2021.”
In a recent interview with Polygon, Doug Bowser, the president of Nintendo of America, said that the Nintendo Switch is “at the midpoint of this life cycle” and that the company is in no immediate rush to replace it.
However, a Switch Pro wouldn’t necessarily be a replacement for the current Switch, but more a higher-end version for people who want more out of the console; think of it on the opposite scale to the Nintendo Switch Lite.
Nonetheless, if the Switch Pro rumors are true, then it’s highly likely that we can expect the newer console to feature some quality of life changes beyond just a specs boost, including updated hardware and improved battery life.
Onc recent speculation suggested that it may also get a Mini-LED display. And at a push, the Switch Pro could even sport a dual-screen design akin to the Nintendo 3DS, but that’s more likely to be a feature of the Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch family could outsell PS5 and Xbox Series X in 2021
Currently finding where to buy the Xbox Series X, as well as the PS5, is a thankless task. But uncovering where to buy the Nintendo Switch online, is an easier one.
As such, analysts are predicting a bumper year for the Nintendo Switch family. And if a Switch Pro does indeed arrive in 2021, then it could further propel the success of Nintendo’s games console.
“Everybody expecting the Switch to run out of steam in 2021 is in for a bitter disappointment,” said Toto. “The Switch will be the best-selling console this year as well, driven by more first-party games, a hardware refresh (see above), and the device having developed into a lifestyle product for the mass market over the course of 2020.”
Harding-Rolls believes that this year will be no different, especially if a Switch Pro launches: “Nintendo’s Switch family of devices to be the best-selling consoles again in 2021. I currently have an updated version of the Switch in my forecasts for 2021.”
NPD’s Mat Piscatella supports this, noting that “it will be the Nintendo Switch that ends up selling the most units of console hardware in 2021,” despite the recent launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Naturally, time will tell if these predictions come to fruition. But 2021 is set to be another interesting year for gaming, especially for the Nintendo Switch.
