The stage was set. It seemed as though the announcement of Nintendo’s high end Switch, or Switch Pro, would be made at the company’s E3 showcase. That was until Nintendo tweeted out that it will specifically focus on software this year; and just like that, millions of anticipating hearts were broken.
Now that the E3 2021 dust has settled, Nintendo of America boss, Doug Bowser, addressed the whirlwind of rumours that surrounded the console. In a conversation with The Washington Post, Bowser spoke about the numerous reports that hinted at the Switch Pro being ready for a reveal.
“We are always looking at technology and how technology can enhance gameplay experiences. It’s not technology for technology’s sake,” said Bowser. “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.”
Bowser’s statement is in line with Nintendo’s stance on the Switch Pro rumours. The company has adopted a ‘neither confirm nor deny’ approach whenever questions about the console have been asked. However, what we can take from his statement is that the company wants to explore the full potential of the current Switch models before moving onto something new. It also seems that Nintendo wants to offer a new gameplay experience with whatever new hardware it puts out, and that’s what the company is focusing on at the moment.
After the initial story by Bloomberg, a whole host of other reports cropped up around the Switch Pro. Some of them mentioned that the Switch Pro’s dock will have a wider base to accommodate two USB 3.0 ports, as well as an ethernet port. Others mentioned that the console would have a bigger screen and make use of Nvidia's DLSS technology.
Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that Nintendo will only reveal the Switch Pro when it’s ready to do so. Until then, we can take solace in the fact that Bayonetta 3 is making good progress.