Report: Upgraded 4K-capable Nintendo Switch could launch this fall

Nintendo could announce an upgraded version of the Nintendo Switch before E3 2021’s digital expo in two weeks, reports Bloomberg.

Citing multiple sources, Bloomberg says that Nintendo plans to launch the new hardware in September or October, and that the system is “likely to be priced higher” than the existing console, which retails for $299.99.

A midcycle upgrade to Nintendo’s handheld console has been rumored since early 2020, with a report in March saying the unit will have a larger, 7-inch OLED screen with 720p resolution, and will be capable of outputting 4K resolution when docked and plugged into a television. The standard Switch has a 6.2-inch LCD screen, and outputs a 1080p feed when docked.

Those earlier reports also said the new Switch will cost $399. Bloomberg’s report on Thursday says that Nintendo plans to phase out the launch configuration of the Switch and eventually offer the new model and the $199 Nintendo Switch Lite, which launched in September 2019 with a 5.5-inch screen.

Polygon has reached out to a Nintendo representative for comment. The company declined to comment to Bloomberg.

The report on Nintendo’s manufacturing plans comes as a worldwide semiconductor shortage has pinched production and supply of durable goods across multiple industries, from household appliances to automobiles. Supply chain issues have led to Sony advising its investors that the PlayStation 5, which debuted in November, will still be hard to find at retail through 2022, as the company is unable to increase production.

The report also follows one on Tuesday that said Valve is developing its own Switch-like gaming PC, and could launch it before the end of 2021, despite the same supply-chain problems Nintendo and Sony face. Its proposed price is unknown, but is expected to be higher than the base Switch’s $299.