The Switch turned out to be a huge success story for Nintendo, having sold nearly 20 million units since its debut in early March 2017. Nintendo planned to sell 20 million Switch units by March 2019, which seems to be well within reach, given that it hit 19.7 million back in June. But Nintendo is also planning to release a Switch update as soon as next summer.
It’s unclear whether the new version will be called Nintendo Switch 2, but the Wall Street Journal has it from suppliers and other people familiar with Nintendo’s plans that a hardware refresh is definitely in the works.
The move is not unusual, given that rivals have released similar console updates for their consoles.
It’s unclear what the 2019 Switch will have to offer, as Nintendo is still debating hardware and software details, but the Journal does say that screen upgrades are in the works.
Nintendo may upgrade the Switch’s LCD screen from the lower-end tech used now to the newer LCD screen tech seen in more recent smartphones.
The display would become thinner and more energy-efficient while delivering a higher brightness. The report notes that the Switch won’t make the jump to OLED. That’s a screen technology superior to LCD but a lot more expensive.
Other upgrades were not mentioned, but the report says that it’ll likely share many features with the current model and that it’ll be compatible with existing games.
Nintendo wants to release the new Switch in the latter half of 2019, the sources said, as soon as summer. The company isn’t likely to confirm any of these moves anytime soon. While you wait for a Switch hardware refresh, remember that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is coming out on December 7th to keep you entertained.
