GAMERS may have to wait a little while longer than expected for a new Nintendo console.
The Nintendo Switch Pro, a juiced-up version of 2017’s Nintendo Switch, won’t be out until next year, according to the latest rumour.
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Rumours surrounding the hotly-anticipated machine have been been bubbling for months – though Nintendo is yet to officially announce it.
It’s said to support 4K graphics and do away with its predecessor’s ability to swap from a handheld console to one that plugs into your telly.
But while a number of reports have hinted at a September or October release date, the latest whisper suggests it won’t hit shelves until 2022.
According to gaming YouTube channel SwitchUp, there will be “no Switch Pro in 2021”.
Citing a “reliable peripheral manufacturing source from China”, they said a “global market release” is expected in 2022, instead.
If true, the rumour would mark a huge blow for gamers who’ve been anticipating the console’s release in time for Christmas this year.
There’s no way to verify SwitchUp’s source, however, and they’re not a Nintendo employee, so take the news with a pinch of salt for now.
We’ll likely know something more concrete about the console as and when Nintendo decides to announce it, possibly sometime this year.
The “Nintendo Switch Pro”, as the new contraption is thought to be called, has been rumoured for some time.
It’s believed to be Nintendo’s answer to new, high-powered consoles released by its biggest rivals.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 5 both hit shelves in November 2020 and have proven hugely popular.
Nintendo hasn’t launched a new flagship console since the Switch came out in 2017.
News that a major upgrade is in the works was broken by Bloomberg last year.
Like the PS5 and Series X, the new Switch will likely support 4K gaming, unnamed insiders told the US news site.
They said “several outside game developers” have been asked by Nintendo to prepare their titles for a 4K upgrade.
As the current Switch doesn’t support 4K, its safe to assume these upgrades are in light of a new Nintendo console on the horizon.
The report did not provide an exact release date for the rumoured console, nor did it hint at how much the high-powered machine will cost.
However, leaks have since hinted that the Pro will ship for around £399/$399.
For comparison, the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles start at £249/$299 and £349/$399 respectively.
It wouldn’t be the first time Nintendo has released an upgraded version of its chart-topping console.
Last year, a refreshed edition of the Switch with better battery life was launched across the globe.
Nintendo also released the Switch Lite in 2019, a cheaper, handheld-only version of the console that ditched the TV dock.
The firm has shipped more than 60million Switch consoles worldwide but will be looking to freshen it following the release of the Series X and PS5.
