While we’re waiting on the next iteration of the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch OLED, more rumors have begun to flay all over the place in regards to a more powerful system. As we already know, the OLED is not a major hardware upgrade as some previously thought, but rather a visual step up for the handheld aspect of the system. Not long after this, whispers of a 4k, or a Pro system began to surface, with the possibility of a 2022 release. This speculation has been further fueled by a new report from Bloomberg, who is now stating that they were contacted by several developers who advised that they were working on games with a “Nintendo 4k Dev Kit.” Nintendo was quick to respond as they have now completely denied this report, and shooting down the apparent existence of a newer Switch console.
According to Bloomberg’s original report, the developers that leaked the information came from roughly 11 different studios, all that “span the globe.” Even more intriguing is that the developers told Bloomberg that they anticipate their 4k Switch titles to release “during or after the second half of next year.” The publication also mentioned that a potential Nintendo Switch 4k would not launch until sometime in 2022 “at the earliest.”
As we already mentioned, Nintendo was quick to react to this news and tweeted out a statement that denied any new reports of the 4k dev kit. They were also sure to reiterate that they still have no plans for an additional Switch console and that the only new model, the OLED model, will launch on October 8, 2021. This echoes what the company stated back in July, and it appears that they intend to stick with this one.
This isn’t the first time that Nintendo has denied a newer iteration of a system before. They’ve done the same with the 3DS when rumors began way back in 2012 that they would be releasing a slightly more powerful version of their handheld system. The company shot down the reports, and then a few years later announced the New Nintendo 3DS, which completely contradicted their earlier stance. Obviously, we’ll never really know what’s going on behind the scenes until Nintendo themselves decides to unveil the curtain. With that being said, we wouldn’t be surprised to see some more information about this leak out over time. Until then, it’s anyone’s guess.