E3 2021 is swiftly approaching, with gamers at the edge of their seats anxiously awaiting a flurry of new game reveals and information. All the usual suspects will be in attendance, including Nintendo, who will host a Nintendo Direct on June 15 to showcase its own set of offerings. While updates for the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild rank among the most desired new details, there is an elephant in the room that Nintendo needs to shed some light on eventually.
The much rumored "Nintendo Switch Pro," for lack of an official name, has been making the rounds on the internet over the past several months. Similar to Sony's mid-generation PlayStation 4 Pro upgrade, the Switch Pro is theorized to be a technical boost on the standard Switch model. However, with not a peep from Nintendo or legitimate leaked image to be seen, doubt is beginning to set in that this new iteration of the Switch family will be hitting the scene any time soon, let alone in time for an E3 reveal.
Nintendo Is All About The Games
First and foremost, while Nintendo does deliver competent hardware, pushing the envelope in terms of specs and functionality hasn't been its focus for quite some time. The last generation in which Nintendo tried to actively compete with its competitors from a hardware perspective was during the GameCube generation. From then on, Nintendo shifted towards thinking outside the box, and trying to innovate with its consoles as opposed to packing more power inside. While this is not to disregard the possibility of a Switch Pro, it is unlikely that a hardware refresh is Nintendo's primary concern.
On the flip side, Nintendo is all about the games. If Nintendo were to squish a Switch Pro reveal into its E3 2021 presentation, it may distract from the games it will be showcasing as well. The games themselves should be able to speak for themselves and remain the selling point of the console, regardless of whether they run on the base Switch or rumored Switch Pro. If anything, it would be wiser for Nintendo to keep its E3 presentation focused on the games, then have a dedicated reveal for the Switch Pro later on. This way, the Switch Pro can take the spotlight and demonstrate the hardware improvement.
Furthermore, news and updates regarding Nintendo's lineup have been scarce, with not that much in the pipeline for the second half of 2021. Of course, the company naturally has a few surprises up its sleeves and has been saving them for the opportune moment. With half the year gone and the holiday season quickly approaching, its imperative to play catch up and generate some hype for the list of upcoming Nintendo games.
A Switch Pro would be a cool upgrade for sure, but without software to play on it, upgraded hardware is a tough sell. All eyes are on E3 for next week, with anyone who even has a remote interest in gaming tuning in for all the latest. The Switch Pro's existence itself will gauge interest, but a myriad of new games will need dedicated time to properly promote.
Nintendo's Reveal/Release Timeframe
Even more importantly is the method in which Nintendo generally tends to plan out its announcements and launches for both hardware and games. Aside from a few exceptions, like the delay for Metroid Prime 4, Nintendo products are typically launched a few months after first being shown off to the gaming public. Return to the process of the original model for example, in which the Nintendo Switch was first revealed in October 2016, then launched March 2017.
Nintendo's strategy seems to be that it likes to play things as close to the chest as possible. It seemed that the Switch Pro would be revealed June 4, with pre-orders for the console beginning that same day. Clearly, this rumor was false and seemed to awkwardly sandwiched next to the E3 season for Nintendo to maintain marketing momentum leading into the holidays.
If the Switch Pro is in fact real, it is likely it would launch during the usual window new consoles arrive, sometime in the October-November period. The first proper blowout for the original Nintendo Switch was in January 2017, a mere two months prior to its actual release in stores. If Nintendo follows a pattern like this, the Switch Pro won't be properly shown off until later this summer, with a presumed reveal of sometime in August.