Is the Switch Pro Really Nintendo's Next Console?

With all jokes and frustration aside, it’s time to get real about something the gaming community has been wondering about for a while now: the possible release of a Nintendo Switch Pro. For many, their eagerness for an enhanced version of the Nintendo Switch was more than satisfied with the release of the Nintendo Switch OLED model, which is still causing waves in the gaming community. Fans already know that the Switch is currently in the middle of its life cycle, as stated by Nintendo President, Shuntaro Furukawa. Does this mean that the Switch OLED is the last edition of the popular Nintendo console? Well, not exactly.

Reports of a “High-End” Nintendo Switch Console

After the release of the OLED model, rumors and expectations regarding a Nintendo Switch Pro or Nintendo Switch 2 quickly faded away. However, excitement ramped up once more when rumors of a “high-end” model began to spread around the internet in late 2021.

Bloomberg News originally reported that the ongoing chip shortage brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic forced Nintendo to use the original Switch base model with an OLED screen instead of a full-blown 4K screen and hardware enhancement to the Nintendo console.

 Nintendo responded that the reports were completely false and that no other version of the Nintendo Switch was planned at that time.

Further Proof of a Possible Nintendo Switch Pro or Nintendo Switch 2

Despite the official statement released by Nintendo, fans continue to find more proof that the company is planning to release an enhanced model. The most recent finding involved a source code listed in the NVIDIA DLSS source code leak this month.

It’s worth mentioning that interpretation of data leaks for anything is usually iffy and unofficial; however, in this case, a lot of speculation regarding the leaked code has proof to back it up. 

The code in question is “NVN2.” The proof that this label may be more than what meets the eye is found in the official information provided by the same database. “NVN” is the official code label for the current Nintendo Switch. Naturally, it is to be speculated that "NVN2" might mean Nintendo Switch 2.

I also want to point out that this isn’t the only hopeful piece of information released in 2022. Back in February, Nintendo released its most recent financial report. It outlined several release plans for the rest of the year, but it also provided more details regarding the next Nintendo console. Analyst, David Gibson, provided a translation of Nintendo’s reply to how they plan to have fans switch over to their next console, which also hints at backward compatibility:

Conclusion

Many have suggested that the new Nintendo Switch might be released alongside a highly anticipated first-party title, such as Breath of the Wild 2 or Splatoon 3 (but mostly BotW 2). However, the current Nintendo console is in the middle of its life cycle, so it is more than likely that fans won’t be seeing the new Nintendo Switch for at least a few more years. Either way, all information does lead to the long-held conclusion that there is indeed a Nintendo Switch Pro or Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon.