Nintendo redefined the notion of on-the-move gaming with the Switch console back in 2017, and demand has never stopped growing since. After the launch of the Nintendo Switch Lite and its various colourways including the Vibrant Coral iteration, the Japanese giant will reportedly unveil the heavily-anticipated new Switch model later this year.
According to Bloomberg, the 2021 version of Nintendo Switch is rumoured for September, and could be announced ahead of E3 2021, which kicks off virtually on 12 June. Doing so would allow third-party publishers – and Nintendo itself – to showcase their games on the console’s new hardware, the news article explains.
Manufacturing is expected to begin as soon as July, with improvements like a 7-inch OLED display, 4K output to a TV, and more powerful NVIDIA graphics silicon that supports DLSS (Deep Learning Super-Sampling) technology set to be in tow. This follows an earlier report of how the new Switch is rumoured to offer upscaling instead of native 4K, courtesy of AI and machine learning capabilities brought on by DLSS. What it also means is that the console will likely cost more than the current US$299 price tag – a reasonable trade-off for increased performance.
Despite the ongoing concern of chip shortages, Nintendo’s suppliers are confident in their ability to fulfil orders, even as Bloomberg cautions that the company’s ability to meet demand is not a guarantee. The current standard Switch model, meanwhile, remains a difficult find due to increased demand throughout the past year, and is set to phase out over time.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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