The Switch Pro rumor has been one that’s plauged Nintendo for literally years now. There have been countless industry insiders claiming Nintendo was working on a beefed-up revamp for the Switch, but it never came to be. This was supposed to be a more powerful version of the Switch, but not a replacement for the Switch. Now, according to Digital Foundry, we can officially call the Switch Pro dead.

According to the Digital Foundry gang, Nintendo was indeed working on a Switch Pro as a mid-gen Switch update. This information comes from numerous unnamed developers Digital Foundry was speaking with. As you might have guessed, all plans for the Switch Pro have been called off now, and it appears efforts have instead shifted to a Switch successor.

Digital Foundry also says to not expect the Switch successor in 2023. Finally, there’s a bit of speculation on Digital Foundry’s part, as they speculate that Nintendo is likely quite worried about the transition from Switch to its successor. Considering how Nintendo’s last few consoles have done, you can certainly see why they’d have concern. There have been huge hits like Wii and Switch, as well as failures like the Wii U.

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kuribo

So they claim that something that never existed, was cancelled and totally did exist but we have no proof.
Ok.

Man, Switch “Pro” have been dragging on since March 4th 2017.
My guesstimate is still 2024 for the next Nintendo system.

kuribo

1y ago

So they claim that something that never existed, was cancelled and totally did exist but we have no proof.
Ok.

Man, Switch “Pro” have been dragging on since March 4th 2017.
My guesstimate is still 2024 for the next Nintendo system.

Edited 2 times

sligeach_eire

1y ago

@kuribo

"Man, Switch “Pro” have been dragging on since March 4th 2017."

Get real! No it hasn't.

This is very disappointing, if true. I've been ready for a Switch upgrade for a couple of years and have been hoping for a new model to play Tears of the Kingdom on.


hy·per·bo·le
/hīˈpərbəlē/
noun
“exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.”


linktheviking

1y ago

People won’t ever be satisfied even if/when a new system is announced and released. The Switch Pro Pro rumours will start shortly after. The silly cycle repeats.


jake_a

1y ago

If the successor is all there is, Nintendo can earn a lot of goodwill by making the console backwards compatible and giving select games free/cheap next gen upgrades and allowing third party devs to do the same.

Secondly, I think it will be a major downgrade if they don't have a portable option. Make the Switch 2 basically.


linktheviking

1y ago

@jake_a

I agree. Nintendo has always included native backwards compatibility with their handheld systems. Here’s hoping the next system keeps that trend in addition to the handheld/dock capabilities.


sligeach_eire

1y ago

BOTW was released on a machine that released a decade ago. It's very disappointing to think that in 2023, the only improvement that Tears of the Kingdom has over Breath of the Wild on Wii U, is 900p instead of 720p, which was the case back in 2017 on the same Switch model. It will be the same 30fps and with the same sporadic framerate drops. Imagine how much nicer TOTK could look in 4K, with DLSS, other bells and whistles and a smooth 60fps.


canadianterminator

1y ago

@sligeach_eire

I wouldn’t hope to expect that from Nintendos next system. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
Just look back at their trajectory over almost the last 20 years.

Also, look at what the PS5 and Xbox Series X actually output. They don’t hit 4K 60fps. It’s either significantly lower and dynamic resolution at 60fps or close to 4K at 30fps.

Asking for Nintendo to do 4K at 60fps even with DLSS is unrealistic given the evidence and tech available.


cheesus 2

1y ago

All I want is an option to have a console only Switch with more horsepower. Some Switch games look beautiful but are held back by limitations


enthropy

1y ago

This isn't the first time such rumours have crossed the internet. A couple of years or so ago there was a similar rumour and the reason they canned it was the chip shortage caused by the pandemic and rather focus on the successor. And this is Df, not some random youtube site looking for clicks. These are serious guys with a lot of connections. Also I think developers really are nagging Nintendo for an upgrade now, especially with the PS5 and XsX out. This could absoloutly be true, but guess we might never find out.

Anyway, I think Furakawa said he wanted the hybrid model to continue and after the success of the Switch I'm pretty sure they will at least this time. They also have a long deal with Nvidia and there even seems to have been a "leak" (which we take with lots of salt) about the chipset (which, if true, will be pretty huge leap from the Switch) and even though the new chip is different from the Switch's I am sure they can find a nice work around for BC, which obviously is important these days. Not like Nintendo haven't done that before with Wii and GC, WiiU and Wii, DS and 3DS...
Apart from BC another thing they ahve to do with the "Nintendo Flex" is the exact same thing they did with Switch: Good Marketing. They completely failed in that department with the U, but last time not only did they give the system a cool name but they showed exactly what it was and, the is the best part, showed it's for everyone. With their marketing they got rid of the "kiddie" image and showed it's for kids, teenagers, adults and even the grannies.
And in the end have some damn good launch titles again. BOTW was a beast and sold the Switch good. Damn good. Now imagine something like Mario Kart 9 for launch after the insane success of MK8. Well the rumour is that that's exactly what's happening(again salt). Have deals with third parties to ahve something good at launch (might even be CoD if all this drama ends as MS is saying haha. Not like they are huge on Nintendo systems).
Curious what the next "gimmick" will be, but, and this is personal wishing, I hope they add VR. Nintendo has the IPs.

HEre's a link to the Nvidia "leak":https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-Tegra-T239-New-leak-offers-clues-about-rumours-next-generation-Nintendo-Switch-chipset.654330.0.html

"f the Tegra T239 is a customised Tegra T234, it should be based on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture. Reputedly, the Tegra T239 will contain 2,048 CUDA cores, up from 256 shader cores in the Maxwell-based Tegra X1. Nominally, the Tegra T239 should deliver 4 TFLOPs of performance too, a 10x increase on the Switch's current 0.4 TFLOP output."

Now doesn't that sound smashing? =)

Cheers! =)


mereel

1y ago

I love it when a console chugs along for ages, seemingly defying logic. It doesn’t happen very often these days, what with mid-cycle upgrades and such.

Maybe this wasn’t Nintendo’s “Plan A” but I’m really happy that the Switch will shortly be entering it’s SEVENTH year commercially available, has dominated sales charts almost universally since its launch, and continues to receive strong support from Nintendo and indies especially. Even 3rd party support is still fairly well.

The Switch will go down in history as more iconic than the Wii, maybe on par with the PS2 or the original NES. It’s ubiquitous, and got many people through the pandemic. I hope it still has another solid year or so left in it. Nintendo is right to be terrified about botching the transition to Switch 2 though. This has historically never gone well for them.


mock turtle

1y ago

I don't think they'd have reason to worry about a successor so long as it's backwards compatible with Switch games. That's a 4000+ game library built in. All the more so if it can play Switch games at their highest targeted framerate like the Xbox Series X or PS5 can with their predecessors' games. That was half the reason I bought an XSX to begin with.

Also name it the Switch 2 and not the Switch Plus or SwitcharU or some nonsense.


joeshabadoo

1y ago

Bit of a bummer to think that a combination of a pandemic and chip/component shortage prevented the launch of a more capable switch with a better tegra SoC :( . Nintendo’s designers and programmers are some of the most capable and talented on the planet and while they always know how to get the most out of the machines they have, they deserve to be able to work within more modern hardware bandwidth


Honestly, this doesn't make much sense. The limitations would still be present as they'd have to target the lowest end specs regardless, ie handheld mode Asking for them to optimize for handheld, docked, and a third stand alone console would be too much to ask, as well.

Edited 1 time

bakfug

1y ago

@jake_a

If the leaks are to be believed, which I do believe them myself, then it is another mobile SoC from Nvidia. That means it absolutely will be a portable unit, and instead we should be asking it to be dockable again and not the other way around. And there is zero reason for them to remove that as a feature.


enthropy

1y ago

@bakfug

Don't they will have a dedicated handheld and home console anytime soon...So yeah, the hybrid thing will stay for some time.