Nintendo will launch two new versions of the original hybrid console, the Switch, as early as this summer, a new report suggests.
It is said that the first version of the Nintendo Switch is a higher-end model and the other is a cheaper one.
2 Nintendo Switch Variants
A source who has knowledge of Nintendo's plans claimed that the higher-end model will boast enhanced features, targeting avid gamers. However, it will not be as powerful as the PlayStation 4 Pro or the Xbox One X.
Meanwhile, the other model will be sold at a lower price. It is reportedly designed for casual players. It is also said to be the successor to Nintendo's handheld 3DS device.
"You would be wrong to think the enhanced version is similar to what Sony did with PS4 Pro and the other is just a cheap alternative that looks very similar to some past hand-held machines, say, Sony's PlayStation Vita," one person who had tried the new devices revealed to Wall Street Journal.
Official E3 2019 Unveiling
According to WSJ's source, the upcoming Nintendo Switch models are slated for the official unveiling at E3 2019 in Los Angeles in June. Then, it will be plausibly launched a few months later. When asked about the report, Nintendo in Kyoto, Japan refused to give a comment.
Prices of the two Switch variants remain unknown at this time. However, Nintendo suppliers suggest that to make the cheaper version possible to produce, the Japanese console creator has to get rid of several functions, such as vibration feature, used in the original Switch so as to cut costs.
"The company judged the new Switch models won't need the vibration feature because there wouldn't be many games released using the full benefit of it," one official familiar with the company's plans said.
Another way to reduce the cost to make the budget-friendly version is by adjusting its suppliers for the incoming Switch versions. Sources further said that Osaka-based Sharp Corp. will likely supply the liquid-crystal displays for the new versions.
Sharp is a long-time supplier of components for Nintendo's gaming consoles but had not won the deal for the first Switch. The Nintendo supplier, however, stays mum on the matter.
Here's more good news. According to suppliers and third-party game creators, Nintendo is poised to launch new titles from its popular franchises Animal Crossing and Pokémon to boost the sales of Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo, on the other hand, previously revealed its plans to release a couple of new Pokémon games in 2019.
