A new Nintendo Switch model is coming in 2019, just two years after the hybrid console was launched and took the video game industry by storm.
There have been rumors of an incoming Nintendo Switch upgrade for a while, but a new report provides more proof that Nintendo will be launching Nintendo Switch 2.0 next year.
New Nintendo Switch To Launch Next Year
According to The Wall Street Journal, Nintendo is planning to release an upgraded model of the Nintendo Switch next year, in a bid to maintain the sales momentum of the hybrid console.
The Wall Street Journal cited suppliers and other people with direct knowledge of Nintendo's plans, which gives the rumor of a new Nintendo Switch more credibility. The purpose of the upgraded Nintendo Switch is also believable, as Nintendo Switch sales have slowed down since the console's explosive launch.
The report comes several months after rumors of an upgraded Nintendo Switch in the works first surfaced. Nintendo said earlier this year that there will be no Nintendo Switch 2.0 anytime soon, as the company is more interested in releasing peripherals such as the Nintendo Labo cardboard accessories. However, just a few weeks after that statement, dataminers discovered clues that Nintendo is working on a hardware update for the hybrid console. A mysterious folder in the Nintendo Switch 5.0 update pointed to something called Mariko, which is believed to be an upgraded Nintendo Switch with a more secure chip against hackers, as well as double the RAM and internal storage.
What Will Change In The Nintendo Switch Upgraded Model?
The Wall Street Journal said that Nintendo is still figuring out which hardware and software features will be changed in the new Nintendo Switch, as well as the cost that it will take to upgrade them.
One of the mentioned possibilities is the Nintendo Switch screen, as the hybrid console currently uses a lower-end LCD. The speculation is that Nintendo will update the console's display to something similar to what is seen in smartphones, which would make the Nintendo Switch display brighter and thinner. This would also make the Nintendo Switch more battery efficient.
The new Nintendo Switch is reportedly planned for launch in the latter half of 2019, possibly as soon as the summer.
