Reports of a new Nintendo Switch model have been teasing us since 2018. Four years later, rumors are still churning. This time, however, Nintendo’s response to the Switch Pro question has changed.
The news comes from Bloomberg, in a story focusing on Nintendo splitting its stock. When Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about new Switch hardware, he declined to comment. Previously, Nintendo firmly denied reports of a Switch Pro purported to offer 4K resolutions and other features. As recently as February of this year, Furukawa said a new Switch model wouldn’t happen “anytime soon.” Declining to comment in this case is a noticeable change in response, though distinctly not a confirmation. At the very least, it’ll certainly be enough to get the Nintendo fans speculating again.
Switch Pro rumors were recently reignited by Digital Foundry, as the renowned spec site discussed footage of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel. Certain visual elements looked too good for the current Switch hardware according to the hosts. There’s a possibility that what we saw was running on a different device.
Of course, no matter when or if Nintendo announces a Switch Pro, it will have to contend with ongoing manufacturing shortages. Switch production was reduced by 20% due to chip supply issues. Such a deficit would certainly affect new hardware too.
