Nintendo Switch 2 put on back-burner for Switch Pro

Nintendo's plans for a follow-up console isn't as simple as we thought

Ninendo Switch
(Image credit: Nintendo)
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It appears the current Switch configurations are here to stay, at least for a little while. As far as Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa is concerned, the Switch is only about "halfway through its life cycle." This could very well mean the Switch 2 might end up being delayed – if it is indeed in development at this time. 

The Switch 2 hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but it’s thought to be the successor to what Nintendo currently has on the market. If Nintendo believes the current system still has plenty of life left in it, however, we might end up waiting some time to see it. 

Bloomberg Quint reports (via Nintendo Life) that Furukawa addressed the Switch's longevity during Nintendo's Corporate Management Policy Briefing for the current financial year. With this in mind, one has to wonder – is the Switch 2 going to be pushed out further because of the decision to continue supporting the Switch as-is?

Nintendo confirmed it's planning to bolster the Switch with additional support and several new game releases in 2021 and beyond. It's also looking to continue utilizing the same "unique integrated hardware-software products" it has in the past. 

If the company is committed to allocating resources and time to the Switch in its current form, that likely means it'll be some time before Nintendo moves on to the Switch 2.

The Switch 2 doesn't have to be the only system in town, though. Nintendo has long been rumored to have a special Pro version of the Switch in the works. It would likely join the vanilla Switch as well as the handheld-only Switch Lite, which would mean consumers would have three different consoles to choose from when purchasing a Switch. 

The Switch Pro could be meant as a stopgap between the current Switch and whatever the next console is that Nintendo has planned. Nintendo has been reaching out to third-party developers in a bid to get them to make their games compatible with 4K resolution. This seems to indicate that some sort of new hardware was on the way, as neither the current Switch or Switch Lite are capable of supporting 4K. 

There is also a patent for a potential new Joy-Con floating around, which adds more to the story. Rather than acting as part of the system, it appears to be meant to be used separately and independently of the Switch. This could mean that the Switch Pro could scrap handheld functionality in favor of adopting a full-fledged home console form factor. 

Source: Bloomberg Quint

Brittany Vincent
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