Nintendo Switch Pro rumored to launch in 2020, but without expected upgrade

By Aaron Mamiit January 26, 2020

The long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro is reportedly being targeted to launch in the holiday season of 2020 alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but the new version of the hybrid console might be missing a key feature that gamers are expecting.

Metro, citing rumors from Taiwan through a source in Korea, reported that the GPU of the next version of the Nintendo Switch will be powered by Nvidia’s Volta architecture. Nintendo is said to be working with Nvidia on creating a new custom processor to replace the Tegra X1, which is found in current models of the hybrid console.

However, the report claims that the new processor will not result in a major performance increase for the upcoming Nintendo Switch model. This means that the expected support for 4K resolution, which has been linked to the Pro moniker partly due to the PlayStation 4 Pro, will likely not be coming to the next version of the console. If not for a graphics upgrade, the purpose of the custom processor remains unclear.

The report, however, claims that the new Nintendo Switch will feature an improved battery, following a version released in August 2019 that already increased the console’s battery life.

Nintendo has never confirmed that it will be releasing a Nintendo Switch Pro, and the rumor has been met with skepticism as the company’s devices have historically never attempted to match the graphics and processing power of the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The rumors provide increasing hints that Nintendo may be working on a new Nintendo Switch, but possibly not in an attempt to get the console to go head-to-head with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Metro also reported that while Nintendo is planning to release the next version of the Nintendo Switch later this year, the development of the console is currently behind schedule, which raises the possibility that it will be delayed into 2021, possibly to the device’s third birthday in March.

Instead of 4K gaming, Digital Trends believes that an option to increase games’ frame rates to 60 frames per second is a more realistic target for the next Nintendo Switch.

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Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…

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Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers: how they work and eligible games

Link stands near allied humans and Gorons in Tears of the Kingdom.

After disappearing from the store in 2019, Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers have returned to the eShop. These vouchers are a great value to those who are active Switch users and purchase a lot of their games digitally via the Nintendo online shop. By purchasing a voucher, players are able to browse a constantly expanding selection of Switch games, including many high-profile first-party titles such as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Splatoon 3, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and use their vouchers to purchase games. In addition, they can also be used to preorder upcoming titles.

If you neverhad the chance to use them before, here's everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers.
How Nintendo Switch Vouchers work

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Don’t expect a Switch Pro or new Nintendo console within the next year

preorder legend of zelda tears the kingdom nintendo switch oled gameplay

If you were hoping that a new Nintendo console was right on the horizon after the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, think again. Nintendo has confirmed that it plans to release no new hardware over the next 12 months.

On May 9, Nintendo shared its financial results for the last fiscal year with investors. Console and software sales both lagged by a bit compared to the year before, with Nintendo crediting a semiconductor shortage and a weaker holiday season for that. Looking to the next year, the company hopes to sell 15 million new Nintendo Switch consoles on top of the 125.62 million that are already out there. Those forecasts are all based on existing hardware, according to a report by Bloomberg.

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Play this Zelda hidden gem for free with Switch Online before Tears of the Kingdom

Ahead of the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it’s a great time to look back on the stalwart Nintendo’s series presence on Nintendo Switch. From Breath of the Wild to a plethora of classics on Switch Online, it’s probably the best console for any fan of this series to own. That said, there’s one Switch exclusive that may have flown under your radar and is worth checking out before Tears of the Kingdom. That game is Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer featuring The Legend of Zelda.
All About Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Ft. The Legend of Zelda - Nintendo Switch
Free for Nintendo Switch Online members until May 7 and available at a 50% discount on the eShop through the launch of Tears of the Kingdom, this game is a rare case of Nintendo collaborating with an indie studio for a project tied to one of its biggest franchises. The result is a Zelda game that expands on the rhythm-based action formula established in Brace Yourself Games’ 2016 hit Crypt of the NecroDancer.
Although this roguelite doesn’t play like any other Zelda game out there, it makes some design choices that call back to the series' most iconic titles. That, as well as its rhythmic nature, will feel refreshing ahead of Tears of the Kingdom’s ambitious and systems-heavy open-world adventure. If you haven’t played it, give Cadence of Hyrule a shot while it’s free.
A unique adventure
As a crossover between Crypt of the Necrodancer and The Legend of Zelda, the game begins with NecroDancer protagonist Cadence being whisked away to Hyrule. She quickly inspires Link or Zelda to explore the world and fight back against Octavo, who put Hyrule’s king to sleep with a magical Lute. Those who prefer the more minimalist stories of earlier games in the series will enjoy how quickly the game gets players to the rhythmic action. People begging Nintendo to make Zelda playable in Tears of the Kingdom will also appreciate that they can play most of the game as her if they want.

The act of playing Cadence of Hyrule is where things get really interesting, as it combines old and new ideas to create something that feels familiar yet refreshing. Starting with the new, this is a rhythm game where players must move and attack enemies on the beat. The Zelda franchise is known for its music, and Cadence of Hyrule takes full advantage of that by including versions of some of the series’ greatest hits. Until we get a Theatrhythm-like game for Zelda music, this is game fans of the franchise's iconic soundtracks can't ignore.
Hopping tile-to-tile on the beat is pretty simple to understand, but it can get quite difficult as players must also account for the fact that every enemy also moves and attacks on the beat. Recognizing that players will probably die a lot, the game is structured as a roguelite where some dungeons are procedurally generated (as is the world each time you start a new file). Items can be found or bought with Rupees to help players during an individual run, while Diamonds are collected in dungeons or by clearing a screen of enemies can be spent on more permanent upgrades.
This may sound daunting, but gameplay options like setting the controllers to vibrate on the beat or only letting enemies move when you do can make it easier. Most Zelda fans should also feel more at home with how other parts of Cadence of Hyrule are designed.
But still familiar-feeling

Rhythm-based movement and combat aside, this is a classic top-down Zelda action-adventure game with aesthetics, presentation, and iconography that the series was once known for. The familiarity in terms of the locations visited, enemies fought, and items obtained makes those more distinct elements easier to embrace. It’s also novel to see elements from post-2D Zelda games show up in this style, like Skull Kid via DLC.
It demonstrates just how malleable and well-designed the core Zelda formula is because it still feels faithful despite its rhythmic nature. While Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s massive open worlds and deep gameplay systems impress, they’ve also created a yearning for a more classically structured Zelda experience from some fans.