Rumors of an upgraded Nintendo Switch have been heating up in recent weeks, but they truly reached a fever pitch last Thursday when a Twitter user spotted a listing for a “New Nintendo Switch Pro” on Amazon Mexico. The product name changed shortly thereafter, and the listing was eventually removed altogether, but it was yet another piece of compelling evidence pointing to a looming announcement from Nintendo about a more powerful Switch console.
The latest round of rumors kicked off with an article last Wednesday from Bloomberg citing sources who claimed that Nintendo would begin assembling the next Switch model as soon as July, with plans to launch the revamped console in September or October of 2021. Nintendo’s formal announcement is expected to come before E3 2021, which begins on June 12th, which will allow developers to show off the games that they’re making for the upgraded Switch.
With more advanced hardware, Nintendo’s “Switch Pro” is likely to cost more than $299, which is what the original Switch still retails for more than four years after its 2017 launch. The retail price has yet to leak, but according to Bloomberg, suppliers expect higher per-unit revenue, so they must believe the upgraded model will have a higher price tag when it does hit store shelves later this year.
This brings us back to the deleted Amazon Mexico listing, which you can see in full below:
let's get freak out for no real reason https://t.co/LfFiVZJHMw https://t.co/l1higyB3IQ pic.twitter.com/WZFMiNqIpp
— Wario64 (@Wario64) May 28, 2021
We’ve been fooled by similar Amazon listings in the past, but as Video Games Chronicle points out, this wouldn’t be the first time that an Amazon Mexico listing has spoiled a company’s plans. Hours before it was announced, Spyro Reignited Trilogy appeared on Amazon Mexico with a September 21st release date. Later that day, Activision confirmed the game’s existence as well as the release date (although the game was eventually delayed to November 13th, 2018).
Now, that isn’t enough to prove that the Nintendo listing is legit, but the good news for Nintendo fans is that there are only 12 days left until the big E3 video game trade event begins. Nintendo has already confirmed that it will be participating in the virtual event this year, so if Bloomberg’s sources are right, it shouldn’t be long before the company makes the Switch Pro official.
Back in March, a separate Bloomberg report laid out the upgrades that would be featured on the new Switch. According to that report, the Nintendo Switch Pro will have a 7-inch, 720p OLED display built by Samsung, which would be a significant upgrade over the 6.2-inch LCD screen of the launch model. The Switch Pro is also expected to support 4K graphics while the console is docked and connected to a TV — a move that will bring Nintendo up to speed with other modern consoles.
