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

 

[donaldgx]

a "portable-only" switch hmm if the price is right maybe maybe.

 

[the_randomizer]

revisions is when the console is selling well, not when its dropping so they can sell even more like n3dsxl,2ds,dsi and so on, but yeah i would get a more powerful switch or a budget model for portability only with fixed joycons and better battery imo, i only play switch in handheld mode so that would be ideal to me.

IMO the difference in games' experience will be negligible at best *shrug* oh well.

 

[fst312]

I don’t think this would even sell well especially for people that already bought more than one switch. I never over clocked my switch games and if that’s all this does, it’s not worth it. Nintendo should not discontinue the 3ds over the switch, if they do, it should be for a different handheld system, switch is already a handheld system but it’s not the same thing.

 

[DeslotlCL]

I've personally had no issues with the joycons. Yes they're expensive, but it makes sense they're very compacted controllers. To be fair, the Xbox one and PS4 have been here for a long time. Of course their value is way cheaper. That's basic economics. Now you can go and dislike the Switch all you want, but you're starting to come off as the type of person to shit on a console for dumb reasons.

How are those dumb reasons if i personally own one? The joycons are too tiny, the L/R buttons dont feel right with that "click" they do when you push them. The analog sticks are even more tiny with the worst travel distance and responsiveness i have experienced so far, they are really bad for third and first person shooters, you are almost forced to use the gyro aiming if you would like to imporve the aim a little bit...

A cheap third party controller feels 10 times better than the actual joycons. Hell, even most of the features the joycons have are useless. I personally have gyro and rumble disabled. So yeah, getting rid of hd rumble alone would lower the prices of those things.

 

[Jonna]

This is 8 years of 3ds games though and 3ds has no games.

Wait

"8 years of 3ds games"
"3ds has no games"

Why did you contradict your own statement - that mathematically does not make sense

 

[FAST6191]

Wait

"8 years of 3ds games"
"3ds has no games"

Why did you contradict your own statement - that mathematically does not make sense

If it bothers you that much add releases after 3ds games. I started my talent scouting agency some 8 years ago and to this day have signed not a sausage.

They had 8 years and still have nothing to show for it that stands up against the GBA and DS, or otherwise.

 

[Redhorse]

The Pro Switch will have a bigger pinis ..er I Mean battery the smaller will have attached controllers and Bear a remarkable resemblance to the Vita.
Though I can't see buying either just yet.

P.S. what the hell is it with these game developers and this 3-5 point font/text anyway? They have plenty of space for the text why not use it. I'm tired of using a magnifying glass to play a game.

 

[Dr.Hacknik]

How are those dumb reasons if i personally own one? The joycons are too tiny, the L/R buttons dont feel right with that "click" they do when you push them. The analog sticks are even more tiny with the worst travel distance and responsiveness i have experienced so far, they are really bad for third and first person shooters, you are almost forced to use the gyro aiming if you would like to imporve the aim a little bit...

A cheap third party controller feels 10 times better than the actual joycons. Hell, even most of the features the joycons have are useless. I personally have gyro and rumble disabled. So yeah, getting rid of hd rumble alone would lower the prices of those things.

To each their own I guess. Personally I've never had any issues with the Joycons or the way they feel. Hell, I actually appreciate the HD rumble.

 

[DANTENDO]

If it bothers you that much add releases after 3ds games. I started my talent scouting agency some 8 years ago and to this day have signed not a sausage.

They had 8 years and still have nothing to show for it that stands up against the GBA and DS, or otherwise.

If you think most 3ds games are shite then you hav probably lost interest in playing games

 

[cottonMOUSE]

I really like this idea!!
I hope the portable-only one has a wee bit more than 32GB tho...

 

[Chizko]

Tegra Xavier with 30W TDP, 12nn?....or custom Xavier like the X1 on Switch, they need a more efficient SOC and X1/20nn it isn't...or X1 16nn?.

 

[stephrk398]

So.. Sharp is doing the displays now? We getting glass?

 

[Dominator211]

X2 makes sense for Switch 2, but yeah, realistically it's nowhere near cheap enough to stick in a gaming console yet.

granted it is a few years old and it will continue to get cheaper. they could make the price higher for better performance

 

[|<roni&g]

I don’t own a switch yet (never needed one as everything I care about is on wiiu) but this is bad news. It means a whole category of unique handheld titles will no longer be made. There should always be a Gameboy/Ds type console with its own titles and the switch is completely killing that off. Hopefully the new models are hacked shortly after release.

 

[Dr.Hacknik]

So.. Sharp is doing the displays now? We getting glass?

I'd personally appreciate that and a OLED or AMOLED display. That'd make blacks stand out way more, and help conserve energy.

 

[Xzi]

I don’t own a switch yet (never needed one as everything I care about is on wiiu) but this is bad news. It means a whole category of unique handheld titles will no longer be made. There should always be a Gameboy/Ds type console with its own titles and the switch is completely killing that off.

That's not true at all. Just look at the Link's Awakening remake. They very much managed to capture the spirit of a portable game while not skimping on the overall graphics. There's nothing stopping anyone else from making similar "portable-style" games, either. Heck, the spiritual successor to Advance Wars was just released, too.

 

[Ericthegreat]

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

No.... maybe gamestop would do a deal or something though....

 

[Idontknowwhattoputhere]

t0 bad cant read the article due to a paywall

 

[ZachyCatGames]

Tell us something we do not already know. It's only logical that Nintendo would release a revision, aka mariko. It's also logical for Nintendo to copy what Sony did with the Vita, make a non portable version, no screen, no battery, no dock etc. which would bring the price down a lot.

Mariko doesn’t mean anything, it’s just gonna be another silent revision (A “mini” switch would also probably use it I guess)

 

[Tilde88]

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

That would be awesome! Because then I get to go to Japan again! (I bought mine in a visit to Japan) !