A Switch Pro is the last thing you should want from Nintendo
Since the launch of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, the talk about video has been deafening. I’m not a fan of graphics, but I understand why the daily news cycle seems to bask in the glory of 4K, 60fps resolution. I have to smile when I see games that had unbearable image dips on old consoles suddenly work without any problems. And it’s a much needed feature if consoles are to compete with the almighty PC.
But regardless of that argument, I refuse to believe that Nintendo should reach that level of graphical fidelity now with what many are calling the Switch Pro, a device that is similar in form to the Switch but almost as powerful as the Switch’s best.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m well aware that third party games like The Witcher III : Wild Hunt and Outer Worlds may reverse the trend from time to time. But I can’t help feeling that this little update will only be a temporary fix, and only for one of the many missing or outdated features of the current console. More importantly: Not only would this undermine the millions of people who bought the console or its lighter version during the pandemic, but worse, it would undermine the great potential that the current model still has.
When the Switch was originally announced, Nintendo fans cheered for the same reason they’re now clamoring for the Switch Pro – to make Nintendo as technologically advanced as Sony or Microsoft. While many wanted better graphics, the most common hope was that this hybrid system would become a full-fledged networked ecosystem, importing digital game libraries from the Wii U and further expanding the functionality of Nintendo’s Virtual Console. However, what led to this situation is not sufficiently criticized.
After the console’s release in March 2017, it was pretty clear that online features would remain pretty barbaric – especially with the continued existence of Friend Codes. Furthermore, it is clear that games purchased in the Wii U online store will be lost when the online market inevitably closes (which has already happened in over 40 countries). It’s also clear that the Virtual Console, a feature that celebrates everything Nintendo has graced in the past, will itself be a thing of the past. These are just some of the neglected needs already introduced with the Wii U, or that were so obvious that no one thought the system’s creator would avoid them.
Photo by Polina Tankilevich/Creative Communities; Remix by Persona.
At first glance, these exceptions may seem trivial. But its absence is why many players consider their Switch a secondary console. It’s hard to fully commit to Nintendo when I’m not sure how long my purchases will stick with me, or when I still can’t connect with a new friend after a big online Pokemon fight. Sometimes I even dread playing a game that focuses heavily on using the Joy-Con, because I might get my fourth controller with a strong analog drift.
Despite these shortcomings, Switch owners can rest assured by the platform’s reasonable recent progress. The growing NES and SNES collection is a good start to what should at least introduce Game Boy and N64 libraries in the same format, even if you have to pay extra. The online voice chat application, as bad as it is, finally gives players a space to connect with each other. There are many other gaps to be filled, but these examples show that Nintendo can still build on what is already in front of us.
We feel like an entertainment company, not necessarily a gaming or graphics company, former Nintendo president Shinya Takahashi told Time in 2017. Since then, the Switch has certainly entertained many people even without these things, and recently even had the second highest annual sales per set-top box in US history. So why would Nintendo stop its current success and growth?
With over 70 million Switches sold, Nintendo’s biggest cash cow is already in place, and they need to milk the system for all it’s worth. There will come a time when ideas like Switch Pro or Switch 2 will be relevant, but for now Nintendo has more important things on its mind. This era of first-player games looks like the golden age, no matter what they look like, and the material they play on is finally starting to tick the boxes we’ve all had on our wish list for three years. If we keep insisting on a shiny new model instead of these important driving features, we’ll just end up with an overpriced car that will only fix one of many glaring gearshift problems.
frequently asked questions
Will there be a Nintendo Switch Pro?
Many thought the release of Nintendo Switch Pro would coincide with the release of Monster Hunter Rise. … But with the arrival of the new game Monster Hunter Rise for Nintendo Switch, this is no longer an option.
Will there be a new thoroughfare in 2021?
According to Bloomberg, the new Switch will be with us in early 2021. According to the website, Nintendo will have more processing power and 4K high-definition graphics. The new model will likely use an updated but non-standard version of Nvidia’s Tegra chipset, based on the new ARM technology.
What is the normal price of a Nintendo Switch?
The prices are not cheap, averaging around $99, although you can sometimes get them for $89 or even $79. There is currently no mention of a Nintendo Switch Premium Edition system with a Pro Controller, but this could change over time.
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