The Wall Street Journal is back to reporting Nintendo Switch rumors once more, following up on their October 2018 claim that Nintendo would be releasing a new hardware revision of the Switch in 2019. Originally, they stated that the Switch would focus on peripheral additions similar to Labo, rather than new hardware, before changing their initial stance to state that a "better" Switch revision was on the way, and would focus on upgraded hardware. This time around, their claim has a few more details--now mentioning two potential variations: a cheaper model which would replace the Nintendo 3DS as the budget option, and an enhanced model, which would be "targeted at avid video gamers".

This conflicts with previous recent statements from both the Nintendo JP president Shuntaro Furukawa and the soon to be former president of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aime, who separately debunked new hardware rumors by saying "[it] is not Nintendo's current focus".

Right now, as we go into our second holiday, my focus is making sure the current grey and neon Switch continue to have momentum in the market place. You saw systems, whether it’s our own or competitive home console systems, utilize that tactic a bit later in the life cycle. So right now, the current execution of Nintendo Switch with the Joy-Con and all of the capabilities, that’s our focus right now.

The Wall Street Journal further asserts that these two supposed hardware revisions would be "different from the original, and you would be surprised," with both versions launching as early as Summer 2019. According to the WSJ's insider sources, hardware prototypes have already been sent to software developers, who say that the "upgraded" Switch model won't be as strong as the Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro.

Nintendo Co. plans to launch two new versions of its Switch gaming console as early as this summer, people familiar with the matter said, as the company seeks to sustain sales momentum for the product going into a crucial third year.

What are your thoughts? Do you find the Wall Street Journal to be reliable, or have other rumors of new Switch hardware got you convinced? Are you more skeptical, after already hearing the WSJ's initial story, or do you believe that there's no room for doubt after so many claims of a revised Switch model have been circulating across the internet? With sales of the Nintendo 3DS slowing down, and the company having just barely missed the mark on its 20 million sales fiscal year projection, a new "pro" and "budget" model could be just what they need to get more sales rolling.

Source

 

[linuxares]

Suppliers and third-party game developers say Nintendo is preparing to release new game titles from well-known franchises, such as “Animal Crossing” and “Pokémon,” to bolster Switch hardware sales. Nintendo has said it plans to launch two new games from the Pokémon franchise in late 2019.

It's happning!

 

[Veho]

What are your thoughts? Do you find the Wall Street Journal to be reliable, or have other rumors of new Switch hardware got you convinced?

Neither, but it's what happened with the DS and the DSi and the 2/3DS so it's plausible.

 

[Chary]

I can't wait for the New Switch XL Color SP Plus & Knuckles.

 

[TR_mahmutpek]

I wonder how much performance/graphical difference will be there..

 

[Frexxos]

Cant wait for titles like “only available for Switch XL-i Models with advanced Joycon Motion Plus Deluxe“

Hope my hacked switch will run everything they will release. And I hope far more the new models are hackable...

I think there is no need for other models...

 

[DANTENDO]

Mayb anyone who bought the original switch and can send in proof by receipt nintendo could offer a 25 percent discount on the new model

 

[proffk]

It makes more sense for a revision because of the tegra vulnerability. No ones figured out how to xploit the switch models after july 2018 yet.

 

[pLaYeR^^]

Hopefully they don’t release any games only for the strong model.

 

[Sodapopcan]

I'm surprised that everyone here is worrying about games just for the plus model, All of you here know that the switch changes graphic fidelity on the fly depending on cpu speed. we all know this because of the overclock mod making games look way better. its probably going to just allow the games to self adjust to a better looking version and i'm guessing the economy switch is just going to be a standard switch with a cheaper dock and some missing components like hd rumble. makes much more sense now that the hardware is cheaper to produce now.

 

[VitaType]

Cant wait for titles like “only available for Switch XL-i Models with advanced Joycon Motion Plus Deluxe“

I don't think they would release a more inexpensive version and a new probably faster one at the same time and then allow exclusives. I'm pretty sure if there will be a New/Deluxe/Pro version and a more inexpensive one then they will limited it to FPS and resolution differences. Sony and MS paved the way and Nintendo already failed twice with the exclusive thing since for both New 3DS and DSi there where almost no exclusives (I think the GBC was planned as a all new handheld which can play old games as well at the beginning and MotionPlus WiiRemotes are only controllers where they even had a upgrade thing for old WiiRemotes).

 

[Deleted User]

the "upgraded" Switch model won't be as strong as the Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro.

I don't think anyone in the world was expecting to even be as strong as the original PS4 or Xbox One

 

[rich333]

if true my guess is...
the budget model will be current version but without dock.
pro version will be upgraded to provide higher res & fps, games would would be the same apart from this for compatibility so cart could be used on all versions

 

[kumikochan]

If Nintendo does that (exclusive games for the enhanced version ) it will shoot themselves in the foot and loose a shit ton of customers. We all know why Sega in the end failed

 

[Clydefrosch]

yeah, great.

sounds like someone at the WSJ is getting paid to make up rumors that'd lower nintendos sales, doesn't it?

seriously, they did it to sabotage the christmas sales, now they do easter.

 

[Xzi]

Not sure I do believe this, what would a more powerful Switch even look like in terms of chipset? Or would they just make it larger with a better cooling solution so they can increase the clock to normal speed?

 

[Kubas_inko]

I hear this kind of news like every 2 weeks. It is getting repetitive.
Also, it's WSJ so...

 

[Costello]

I imagine they learned their lessons with DSI exclusives right?

 

[DinohScene]

Nintendo finally mastered 720p60 output?

 

[Stwert]

A hardware revision from Nintendo? I’m calling bullcrap on this, there’s absolutely no precedent for this kind of thing from Nintendo whatsoever.


Well, unless you count the NES-101, SNS-101, Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Light, Gameboy Colour, Gameboy Advance SP, Gameboy Micro, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, 3DS XL, 2DS, 2DS XL, New 3DS.....


But other than that, no precedent whatsoever, it’s totally not the kind of thing Nintendo is known for.