Nintendo Finally Responds to Rumors Surrounding New Switch

Amid reports of a new upgraded Switch come September, president of Nintendo of America Doug Bowser fielded questions on its release at gaming expo E3 2021 last week. But in an interview with The Washington Post published Friday, Bowser gave insight into Nintendo’s immersive approach to gaming and how it plans its hardware updates.

“We are always looking at technology and how technology can enhance gameplay experiences. It’s not technology for technology’s sake,” Bowser told The Post. “It’s how specifically can technology enhance a gameplay experience. And then where do you apply that technology? Do you want to apply it on current existing hardware or platforms, or do you want to wait for the next platform? And then what’s the right gameplay experience with that? There’s a host of factors that goes into it, and it’s something we’re always looking at.”

While Bowser did not directly address speculation around the Switch’s revamped hardware, he went on to speak about Nintendo’s E3 2021 showcase and how the Switch is “redefining what a console life cycle can look like.”

“Our smart device strategy has allowed us to reach consumers in 164 countries already,” Bowser said of the Switch, which is now entering its fifth year. “We believe we’ve been able to broaden that audience of people who have now experienced Nintendo games, and we can bring them deeper into that integrated hardware software system in the deeply immersive games you and I know and play.”

According to Bloomberg, the still-unconfirmed new Switch is rumored to feature a 7-inch Samsung OLED display and Nvidia graphics silicon that will allow for 4k resolution when docked to a TV. Gamers have begun to refer to this new model as the Switch Pro, and it will likely come to replace the current standard model, albeit at a higher price point.

In other Nintendo news, the release date of the highly-anticipated Switch exclusive Shin Megami Tensei V has finally been announced.