While hardware sales for the Nintendo Switch have been quite impressive, the company still thinks that their handheld-home console hybrid could be doing better. A report claims that in an attempt to further bolster sales for the Switch, Nintendo will be introducing a smaller, cheaper redesigned version of the console for release by the end of this fiscal year.
To be more specific, the financial year lasts from April of this calendar year to March of 2020. The report, coming from Nikkei, says that this redesigned Switch will be “portable” and “easy to carry around.” These terms point towards a version of the Switch that could probably fit in one’s pocket, as the console as of now is a bit too big for that.
The Switch and the Nintendo 3DS still remain the main two pillars of Nintendo’s hardware, unless one were to include their less-successful fares on mobile thus far (their next big title, Mario Kart Tour, has just been delayed). The 3DS family has still been thought of as an entry point into Nintendo’s ecosystem, with the 2DS being quite cheap.
$300 may be a bit too steep for those who only want a handheld console—with the next Pokemon in the distance (which we hope will be a big evolution in the series), demand from younger fans will be high, but the price is significantly higher than the $80 price figure for a 2DS. With a smaller, cheaper Switch, Nintendo might be hoping to attract an even larger audience for their console.
It just brings the question of what this console would look like. Would this be one without the ability to dock to a television? Would there still be removable Joy-Con controllers? Would this have analog sticks or Circle Pads, a la the 3DS? And most significantly, would such a Switch variation effectively be a 3DS replacement?
With so many questions, Nintendo fans may look to the next E3, or perhaps another Direct, for more answers. Nintendo has reaffirmed their plans to have a presence at E3 2019, especially after competition such as Sony’s PlayStation decided to opt out of the event.
The post Report: Nintendo Switch to Get a Smaller, Cheaper Redesign by End of Fiscal 2019 by Chris Compendio appeared first on DualShockers.