Nintendo Switch Pro rumored to launch in 2020, but without expected upgrade

By Aaron Mamiit January 26, 2020

The long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro is reportedly being targeted to launch in the holiday season of 2020 alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but the new version of the hybrid console might be missing a key feature that gamers are expecting.

Metro, citing rumors from Taiwan through a source in Korea, reported that the GPU of the next version of the Nintendo Switch will be powered by Nvidia’s Volta architecture. Nintendo is said to be working with Nvidia on creating a new custom processor to replace the Tegra X1, which is found in current models of the hybrid console.

However, the report claims that the new processor will not result in a major performance increase for the upcoming Nintendo Switch model. This means that the expected support for 4K resolution, which has been linked to the Pro moniker partly due to the PlayStation 4 Pro, will likely not be coming to the next version of the console. If not for a graphics upgrade, the purpose of the custom processor remains unclear.

The report, however, claims that the new Nintendo Switch will feature an improved battery, following a version released in August 2019 that already increased the console’s battery life.

Nintendo has never confirmed that it will be releasing a Nintendo Switch Pro, and the rumor has been met with skepticism as the company’s devices have historically never attempted to match the graphics and processing power of the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The rumors provide increasing hints that Nintendo may be working on a new Nintendo Switch, but possibly not in an attempt to get the console to go head-to-head with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Metro also reported that while Nintendo is planning to release the next version of the Nintendo Switch later this year, the development of the console is currently behind schedule, which raises the possibility that it will be delayed into 2021, possibly to the device’s third birthday in March.

Instead of 4K gaming, Digital Trends believes that an option to increase games’ frame rates to 60 frames per second is a more realistic target for the next Nintendo Switch.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…

Gaming

3 retro classics to play on Nintendo Switch Online this weekend (May 3-5)

Kirby and his friends post in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror art.

With rumors of a new Nintendo console heating up, it's once again time to accept that the Switch's long lifespan is coming to its end. 2024 will likely be the system's last full year before a successor steals its thunder. That's apparent in Nintendo's recent first-party offerings, as the system is getting a lot of remasters and niche curveballs this year. As exclusives like Endless Ocean: Luminous underwhelm, you may have found yourself looking for reasons to fire up your Switch.

Thankfully, you have a lot of great excuses to do so if you're subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online. The service is home to plenty of classic games from the NES up to the Nintendo 64. Even if you're a game historian, there's a good chance you haven't played everything Switch Online has to offer. This weekend, I have three recommendations for anyone looking to fire up some great, old games. These aren't random picks; I've chosen three games that feel spiritually linked to some of this spring's biggest games.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Gaming

All upcoming Switch games: 2024 and beyond

Luigi with the Poltergust 5000.

The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular consoles Nintendo has ever produced, with a wide variety of games to choose from and plenty of unique features. We’ve already gotten to play new entries across the Zelda, Super Mario, and Pokémon series on Nintendo Switch, but there are still plenty of great games on the way for the hybrid console. These include exclusive games developed internally by Nintendo, as well as third-party titles and ports of games that are also available on other platforms.

Here's our list of the best upcoming Nintendo Switch games for 2024 and beyond. Of course, some titles without release windows could skip the Switch entirely and wind up on Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) And if you're looking at future releases on multiple consoles, don't forget to check out what's upcoming on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC this year.
Upcoming Switch games 2024
The games listed below either have 100% confirmed release dates or solid release windows that we expect them to hit this year. Anything that's up in the air due to more vague launch predictions or previous delays will be listed below confirmed launches.

Gaming

The Nintendo Switch just got 2 surprise games — and they’re both worth grabbing

A teddy beat sits on an embroidery hoop in Stitch.

If you were unable to catch this week's Nintendo IndieWorld showcase, then you missed a surprisingly loaded show. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes got a May release date, WayForward showed off its Yars' Revenge revival, and Steamworld Heist 2 got an exciting reveal. In the midst of all those headlines, two smaller games were surprise released on the platform: Stitch and Sticky Business. Don't sleep on either of them, as they're both worth a purchase.

Both games are ports of previously released games, but both went a bit under the radar upon their original launch. Sticky Business modestly launched last summer on PC, whereas Stitch has actually been around since 2022 as an Apple Arcade exclusive. The latter even has an Apple Vision Pro version now that can be played in mixed reality. I can't blame anyone for missing either, but their Switch releases offer a good opportunity to catch up with some quiet hidden gems.