That's straight from the horse's mouth: there'll be no new Switch model to be announced at the company's upcoming E3 presentation despite what rumors suggest.
Previous reports claim Nintendo is set to unveil a smaller and cheaper Switch variant, and according to rumors, it'll apparently make that announcement at E3, gaming's biggest event of the year.
No New Switch Model Planned For E3
However, Nintendo itself has confirmed that this isn't so. President Shuntaro Furukawa told investors that "we have no plans" to announce a new model at E3 2019, implying the Nintendo is sticking with the current Switch for the foreseeable future.
That said, Furukawa assured reporters that Nintendo is always working on new hardware, adding that the company "will announce it when we are able to sell it." While there might be no Switch model at E3, this perhaps is sufficient confirmation that there is indeed a new model in the works.
Price Cut
Furukawa failed to address reports of a potential price cut for the current Switch; ongoing speculation claims a lower price tag is due in June. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, of course. Logically, though, Nintendo doesn't need a price cut right now — the system is clearly doing very well. In fact, lifetime Switch sales have surpassed that of the N64's, which took the latter system six years to achieve. The Switch is just two years old.
Furukawa's statements mark Nintendo's first official acknowledgement of new Switch hardware. In October, The Wall Street Journal reported about a potential new Switch with a higher-end screen that's brighter, slimmer, and more energy-efficient. The publication followed up that report by claiming there's also a cheaper Switch model in development. Other reports peg a more powerful "Switch Pro" variant to be in the works as well.
An updated version of the system could help maintain sales momentum and player enthusiasm. More specifically, a cheaper model could be a more attractive option for casual players, especially those who want a Switch but can't shell out $300. Pokémon Sword and Shield are coming out in the fall, undoubtedly Nintendo's biggest release in 2019. Surely, people will be coming in droves when those launch. That's probably the perfect time to tell everyone there's a cheaper Switch available if $300 is out of reach for them.
That said, don't expect such a model to be unveiled at this year's E3 festivities. There are still lots of surprises in store, though. For starters, Nintendo might finally share gameplay footage of Animal Crossing for the Switch. Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
