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Nintendo's "Switch Pro" has been a major talking point in the gaming community over the past few years.
The Japanese gaming giant has seen massive success with its latest hybrid console. In fact, it has become the best-selling home console offering from the company. With the Switch in the fifth year of its lifecycle, fans are wondering what will come next.
As such, Switch Pro rumors have done well to keep the murmurs afloat. The aging Tegra X1 hardware in the current rendition of the Switch will not be enough to sustain the ever-increasing technical demands of next-gen games.
Rumors suggested that Nintendo was preparing to turn a new page with an improved model boasting superior specs. But with nothing besides radio silence on the company's part, what is really going on?
Is Nintendo planning a Pro model?
Given the frequency and variety of sources claiming the existence of a Switch Pro, it would be reasonable to assume that it is indeed a thing. There have been far too many leakers — including some pretty credible ones — that have assured its legitimacy apart from other reasonable hints.
However, we have gone months without any official confirmation or rumors. One possibility is that the Pro model is still coming but delayed.
Given that we have gone five years without a peep, it seems hard to imagine Nintendo would still have a Pro version planned. Assuming it is a mid-generational refresh, it seems too late for that at this point. We are in the era of PS5/XSX titles with modern development tools and engines catering to truly next-gen gaming experiences.
While most people are aware that Nintendo does not directly compete with other console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft, the fact remains that the company has to consider scalability with upcoming third-party games. These titles evolve in complexity beyond the capabilities of the Tegra X1 chipset.
Yes, the Nintendo Switch has managed to punch above and beyond its weight many times, with miraculous ports like DOOM Eternal, NieR: Automata, and more. However, many games have omitted a Switch version due to infeasibility, like Ubisoft's canceled port of STEEP.
Meanwhile, others have been reduced to Cloud Versions, like Hitman 3 and A Plague Tale Requiem. With the public outwardly expressing displeasure towards these internet-streamed game offerings on what is fundamentally a handheld, as well as the looming fear of incompatibility with future games, Nintendo has likely taken note. This leads us to the second and likelier possibility.
The company could possibly be planning a Switch successor
Another possibility is that Nintendo has scrapped the Pro's plans for a successor. This would explain why the rumor mill has slowed down and why the company hasn't revealed a Pro model. However, there are more arguments to be made, too.
For one, a successor would be a more substantial upgrade over a Pro. This will ensure longevity when it comes to relevancy in the console space, especially with current tech being far more efficient and powerful, as proven by the Steam Deck. It would also make PS5/XSX ports of games feasible that would not be possible in the previous rendition.
This sentiment was echoed by YouTube gaming tech channel Digital Foundry, whose experts revealed their own secrets about the topic. Discussing on a podcast alongside other staff members, editor John Linneman had the following to say:
"From talking to internal developers, there was some sort of mid-generation Switch update planned at one point... and that seems to no longer be happening. And thus, it is pretty clear that whatever they do next will be the actual next-generation hardware. I don't think it's going to be 2023, and Nintendo itself will likely be nervous about this transition."
The last part ties into how Nintendo has relied on innovation rather than playing it safe when it comes to its gaming mantra. From GameCube up until the Switch, the company has either seen immense popularity or disappointing failure.
However, it seems likely that Nintendo will pursue the Switch line. This is not just because it has struck gold thanks to this handheld-cum-home-console concept but also due to backwards compatibility.
This is one aspect where the company has been consistent wherever possible. The fact that many newer Switch games are released with uncapped performance would allow better hardware to enhance these older experiences without any effort.
As mentioned before, third-party support is key to the Switch's success. Since Nintendo has made changes to the current Switch in the past as per developer requests (with Capcom's demand for 4 GB RAM), which shows they are listening.
At the end of the day, all the speculation leads us to believe a successor is coming. As such, things can only get more interesting from here onwards.
