Cheaper Nintendo Switch ‘likely to launch by June’
Existing console also reportedly set for “modest upgrade” this year
Nintendo is gearing up to release a cheaper version of its Switch console this summer, according to sources said to be familiar with the company’s plans.
One of those people told Bloomberg the new Switch is likely to be released by June.
The site’s sources also claim the existing Switch, which launched in March 2017, will receive a “modest upgrade” this year, but that it won’t be in the form of more powerful hardware.
Speculation about new Nintendo consoles has intensified in recent months, with the Wall Street Journal claiming in March that two new Switch models are in development, one offering enhanced features targeted at avid gamers, and a less expensive, more portable alternative aimed at younger players.
It’s also been claimed the cheaper Switch could remove the existing model’s docking feature, which enables users to connect the console to an external display.
A report from Japanese business publication Nikkei this month suggested a cheaper Switch model will launch this autumn, while a more powerful Switch console is still in the experimental stages of development.
Nintendo has yet to confirm plans to release new hardware, but it’s expected to include its impact in its guidance when it announces its full-year financial results and outlook for the current year this Thursday.
