A new Nintendo Switch may launch early next year and support 4K graphics according to reports

Update: More information has been revealed about a potential upgraded Nintendo Switch model in a report by Bloomberg.

It claims that Nintendo is investigating a new model that has "more computing power and 4K high-definition graphics." On top of this, Bloomberg also reports that Nintendo are planning to release a "slew" of first and third-party games to go alongside an upgraded Switch.

However, this comes with the caveat that you shouldn't expect too much from Nintendo this Christmas, as they are apparently "ceding 2020’s holiday spotlight to rival devices from Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp."

Original: A new Nintendo Switch model could enter production later this year and launch in early 2021.

That's according to VGC, who are citing Taipei-based newspaper Economic Daily News, who claim the new model would feature better interactivity and display quality. What is most likely is that there's a "Pro" version of the Nintendo Switch in the pipeline, with minor improvements to the current model that could mean better touch screen sensitivity and increased graphical quality. Perhaps Nintendo will sort out the Joy-Con drift issue, as well, which would be absolutely ace. As we recently reported, Nintendo was the subject of a class action lawsuit in the US over Joy-Con issues.

As Twitter user Mike Heskin pointed out in April, the console's Ver. 10.0.0 firmware referred to a new hardware model called "nx-abcd." Heskin pointed out that there was also evidence of a secondary display being added to the model, so perhaps the new version of Nintendo Switch will include some type of flip screen mechanism like the Nintendo DS.

According to Polygon, when Nintendo Switch first launched in March 2017 it sold 2.74 million units in the first month, while the Switch Lite sold 1.95 million units in the first 10 days after its September 2019 release. Whatever this mysterious Switch is, you can expect the new model to do just as well, if not better, than the previous two versions. With games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons still garnering tons of attention from players and some incredibly cool releases on the horizon, the new Switch model will be in high demand.

Check out the upcoming Switch games for 2020 and beyond.

Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar+ and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.