Nintendo loves iteration. Sometimes fans are even torn on what is iteration and what is a next-generation piece of hardware, as is the case with the Game Boy Color. Even though the Nintendo Switch Lite came out in 2019, rumors have been swirling nonstop about a successor or significant upgrade to the Nintendo Switch.
While no information about Nintendo's next piece of hardware is official, this has not stopped people from talking and daydreaming about it. Of the many rumors, several of them are wholly believable and likely, while others are more far-fetched things we'd still love to see happen. Whatever the case, we are confident Nintendo's next move will be exciting.
10 Want To Believe: 2021 Release
The Nintendo Switch released in 2017, and the Switch Lite came out near the end of 2019. With this in mind, many feel like a new version of the console will follow another two year cycle. Even though concrete information is non-existent about the console, it is not atypical of Nintendo to announce something huge for a release date only several months later down the line. The Switch Lite was announced in July and released the following September.
9 Likely: It Exists
While solid facts regarding it are all based on rumor and guesses, the most likely thing to believe is its actual existence. Whether it resembles anything suggested by the numerous other rumors is difficult to say, but we have little reason to doubt a new console will change a lot of major things from the Switch. With the bumps in the road from the COVID pandemic, the actual system may come later than we want.
8 Want To Believe: Mini-LED Screen
The current switch uses an LCD screen for its handheld mode. It is better than anything we've seen before on portable gaming devices, but it is still not the best possible.
Rumors talk about a mini-LED screen for the next Switch, which would improve many aspects of the presentation when gaming on the go. Improved contrast, lighting, and blacks would all come along with the new screen.
7 Likely: Longer Battery Life
The battery life was a small grievance against the first Nintendo Switch. power intensive games like Breath of the Wild could only run about two and a half hours before needing a charge. Thankfully, the Switch Lite and newer models almost double this. A beefier console would need a stronger battery to support the newer, more powerful features, but it needs to last longer than than the current models too. If it were seven hours or so, this would suffice for even long train rides and many plane trips.
6 Want To Believe: Eight Gigs Of Ram
Hardware is extremely complicated, and multiple moving parts determine how smooth a console's games perform. The current Switch has four gigs of Ram, and rumors have the new console going twice as far. Most recommend PCs have at least eight gigs of RAM for gaming, so hopefully the Switch really does follow suit. Graphics are not Nintendo's priority, but they usually make games smooth without technical issues.
5 Likely: 4K In Docked
Even just four years ago in 2017, 4K was not as accessible or widely used in gaming. Fast forward to today and televisions with the high resolution are more affordable and next-generation consoles run most of their games at this quality. The Nintendo Switch will likely join the league of 4K machines to catch up. While not everyone sees the difference between 1080p and 4K, enough hardcore gamers do to make the investment worth it.
4 Want To Believe: Dual-Screen Support
Nintendo likes updating older games for newer consoles, or at least porting them. However, it is almost impossible to bring most Nintendo DS and 3DS games to the switch. If this rumor is to be believed, the next Switch will make porting these games easier, since it details dual-screen support. On the other hand, this could also be more in line with the Wii U's set up. While considered a failure, the dual-screen setup of the Switch's predecessor has untapped potential.
3 Likely: $399 Price
If a new version of the Switch is expected to live side by side with current models, then a beefed-up model will probably cost more than the currently available Switch. While that is a high price, the same price which was part of the Wii U's failure, having two cheaper options would lessen this sting.
Then gain, three different versions of the same console on sale simultaneously could negatively effect the company by confusing less knowledgeable consumers.
2 Want To Believe: 126 Gigabyte Storage
The current Nintendo Switch storage sits at a paltry 32 gigabytes, forcing anyone who likes to keep a hefty collection on their system to invest in some SD cards. It is not the largest inconvenience in the world, but a larger system storage space would save a lot of hassle. If the rumor of a 126 gigabyte console storage is to be believed, fewer gamers will have to worry about running out of space. Those who regularly cycle between several games at once will have more leeway.
1 Likely: Backward Compatibility
Backward compatibility has come on several Nintendo handhelds and consoles, but it is never a guarantee. After all, the Wii U plays Wii games and the Wii plays GameCube games, but the Switch plays nothing from prior generations. If a successor is more of an upgrade than a new console, then backward compatibility is a given. However, if it is a next-generation leap, then we hope Nintendo makes this rumor a reality. They should also take a cue from Sony and Microsoft by making the older titles run smoother.