The gaming world is eagerly anticipating the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X but there is another contender in the industry that Sony and Microsoft can't afford to forget about. Nintendo will reportedly call in reinforcements to the console wars in 2021 with the release of a new Nintendo Switch 2.
The reports come from Taiwan's Economic Daily News (via The Verge), which cites supply chain sources when claiming that a new console would arrive next year. The report talks about the "new Switch" as being more interactive and having improved visuals.
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Bloomberg released its own report soon after the Economic Daily News. Citing anonymous sources, the outlet claims the new Switch will have "more computing power" and the ability to play at 4K resolution.
Nintendo has always succeeded not by delivering the most powerful hardware but by supporting its console with a strong lineup of games. The Bloomberg report says it will do the same when the Nintendo Switch 2 arrives, using a "slew of games" from first-party and third-party studios.
"Those games would address a wide range of players, from casual gamers seeking small doses of escapism to more devoted fans putting in marathon gaming sessions," Bloomberg writes.
The Switch is still selling well (with 61 million consoles sold at the end of July) but the hardware it relies on, specifically the Nvidia Tegra X1 chip, is long outdated. There are more powerful alternatives on the market that Nintendo could easily use to improve visuals without adding much cost.
New Nintendo Switch vs Xbox Series X vs PS5
Nintendo doesn't use the same battle tactics as Sony or Xbox in the console wars. It leans heavily on an established catalog of first-party IPs, including Mario Kart, The Legend of Zelda and Super Smash Bros.
If the company releases new hardware, we expect it to be an update on the current Switch, not an attempt to outperform the Xbox Series X or PS5. The Switch simply doesn't need to in order to succeed.
With the unique ability to be played on a TV or as a handheld device along with one-of-a-king games like Ring Fit Adventure, the current Switch shows how new interactive experiences can be achieved with "lesser" hardware, and we expect more of this winning formula going forward.
