Another source fueled rumors about a Pro model of the PS5 and an upcoming new Nintendo console, all in one go. Their claims come not long after a well-known leaker revealed the supposed release window for the PS5 Pro console.
The rumor mill about a Switch successor has also been quite active since the start of the year. Back in late March, an insider reported on some Nintendo Switch 2 system specs. Like the PS5 Pro rumors, industry rumors about a new Nintendo console have been around for years. The first solid indication that such a system was in development dates back to a 2021 Nvidia leak that mentioned an unknown “nvn2” platform. For clarity, “nvn” is Nvidia’s internal nomenclature for Switches using its Tegra X1 chipset.
Although a Pro console for the PS5 and a successor for the Switch have been rumored for years, they rarely appear at the same time. However, that’s exactly what happened earlier this week, with Twitter user segamega99 suggesting that both are in the works. The source, whose posting history suggests some kind of connection to Japanese retail, didn’t elaborate on the matter, though this isn’t the first time they’ve talked about these much-rumored consoles.
In a previous tweet on April 14, segamega99 claimed that the next-generation Nintendo console will feature The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, and Splatoon games “at launch.” However, that statement referred to the system as Nintendo’s next-generation console, while the latest announcement calls it the Switch Pro. Reports in the past have not always agreed whether the two are the same, although most 2023 rumors have suggested that this is the case, including recent allegations from segamega99. Even after the Japanese gaming giant completes its Switch modifications, many insiders believe Nintendo’s next console will offer backwards compatibility.
Regardless, there are no credible reports claiming that the next Nintendo console will actually have the Pro moniker. Even if the company launches a mid-generation Switch upgrade in the near future, the ‘Switch Pro’ isn’t really a fit for Nintendo. Not least because its entire modern console strategy revolves around making the most of fairly old hardware that’s cheap to make and thus able to sell at a good profit margin. There’s no real point in attaching a “pro” label to any new system that doesn’t stray completely from that approach.
While some may think the PS5 Pro is premature, seeing as Sony’s latest console is only a few years old, that sentiment hardly applies to the idea of a Switch follow-up. The hot hybrid console turns six in March, and with its hardware already fairly modest in 2017, there’s little doubt that both third-party developers and Nintendo’s own titles will benefit from the more powerful console. Benefited a lot.