From <https://www.inverse.com/article/54372-new-nintendo-switch-pro-lite-release-date-price-specs-two-models>

*New Nintendo Switch: Release Date, Cost, Specs for Reported Two New
Models*

/Nintendo has two aces up its sleeve./

When it first launched in 2017, the Nintendo Switch was viewed as a
Hail Mary pass for the Japanese gaming company, an urgent attempt to
bounce back from what was widely perceived as the calamity that was
Wii U.

The Hail Mary worked, and the Switch instantly became one of the
world’s most popular gaming platforms with more than 32 million units
sold as of Dec. 2018. It is been such a huge success that the company
is reportedly planning on launching two more devices under the Switch
line later this year, a premium and a budget variant.

The timing makes sense. Switch sales are expected to begin declining
from 17.9 million in the last fiscal year to 17.4 million next year,
reported the The Wall Street Journal Monday. Ben Arnold, the Senior
Director of Innovation and Trends at the Consumer Technology
Association tells Inverse that by putting out two new Switch models
on opposite ends of the price spectrum, Switch can begin marketing to
two distinct gaming demographics with the hope of increasing sales.

“There’s a bifurcation in the Nintendo fandom, so this approach makes
a lot of sense,” he said. “A segment of gamers, largely made up of
kids, are perfect for the lite version and another group of more
serious gamers that want Nintendo franchises with step-up games.”

The devices are heretofore unnamed, but the internet has already
dubbed the pair, the “Switch Pro” and “Switch Lite.” Here is what to expect from the two devvices, when they will likely launch, and how
gamers will be able to tell them apart.

*New Nintendo Switch Models: Price*

Nintendo has not revealed any details about what its pair of new
Switch consoles will cost, but pricing just right will be vital to
their success. The company is selling the original Switch for $300,
while its next best handheld console, the New Nintendo 3DS XL goes
for $200. Depending on how much Nintendo strips from the Switch, its
Lite version will likely be priced very similarly to the 3DS XL.

Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Securities told GamesIndustry.biz
that he anticipates the Switch Lite to cost $199, exactly like the
3DS XL.

The Pro variant, on the other hand, might cost as much $400 or $500.
Sony’s original PlayStation 4 now costs $300 a Best Buy, while the
upgraded PS4 Pro costs $400 on Amazon. Nintendo would probably price
their high-end version along the lines of where its competitors are
pricing their consoles.

/The original Switch would be a mid-tier model compared to its
reported successors./

*New Nintendo Switch Models: Release Date*

A specific release date has yet to be announced, but the Wall Street Journal’s report indicates that both variants could arrive by the
summer.

E3 2019 is scheduled to kick off on June 11, which would be the
earliest to expect an announcement from Nintendo as notable as news
of two big new consoles. The Japanese video game giant will almost
certainly have some major surprises in store for the yearly gaming
expo.

*New Nintendo Switch Models: “Switch Pro” Specs*

The reported higher-end Switch likely won’t reach the same level as
similar mid-generation upgrades like the PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox
One X, meaning Nintendo likely won’t strive for 4K-resolution
graphics. The company’s most iconic titles are all constructed using
a cartoony aesthetic that are nowhere near as graphically intensive
as the hyper-realistic graphics in, Far Cry 5 or Crysis 3 on other
consoles.

/Redditors on the Nintendo Switch subreddit guess at what the two new
models might look like./

An upgraded Switch would likely still entice players with enhanced
visuals, a notable sore point on the original console. The Switch can
output up to 1080p resolution through a connected dock, but this
drops to just 720p when undocked and playing on-the-go using the
6.2-inch touchscreen. Its portability is a key selling point versus
the PS4 and Xbox One, but the screen’s low pixel density of 237 dots
per inch pales in comparison to what smartphones and tablets can
offer, which start at around double that density.

An October 2018 report suggested a Switch follow up would include
higher brightness, better energy efficiency, and a thinner design. It
also noted that the console would still likely use LCD screens,
rather than the OLED technology found on devices like the iPhone XS
that enables deeper blacks.

Redditors on the Nintendo Switch subreddit attempted to bring this
concept to life. User u/Yolorenzo posted a mock up of a bezel-less
Nintendo Switch, which drew a lot of excitement from fans in the
Nintendo Switch subreddit.

/What the Nintendo Switch Lite could look like./

*New Nintendo Switch Models: “Switch Lite” Specs*

On the other end of the spectrum, the Switch Lite might actually do
away with its “switch-ability.” Dr. Serkan Toto — the CEO of Kantan Games — predicts that the Lite model will be fully handheld, which
sounds strikingly similar to the PlayStation Portable.

“I expect the device to have the same screen, but with Joy Cons built
into the body and no docking station. Since it can’t ‘switch’ from handheld to console,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.

In that scenario, the goal for this device is to essentially take
over sinking 3DS sales and give interested consumers an affordable, entry-level console to play some of Nintendo’s most iconic titles.

A change like this will likely mean a smaller screen, slightly worse resolution, and a decrease in overall processing and graphical power.

*New Nintendo Switch Models: New Games*

There is a big roster of upcoming Switch games that Nintendo has
teased or announced during its latest Nintendo Direct event. Many of
these titles have been given summer release dates, which could
suggest they’ll complement a Switch Pro and Switch Lite launch at E3
or later. Three of the following titles have received early-to-mid
summer release dates:

• Fire Emblem: Three Houses (July 26, 2019)
• Super Mario Maker 2 (June 2019)
• Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (June 21, 2019)
• Legend of Zelda: Links’ Awakening (2019)
• Pokémon Sword and Shield (2019)
• Animal Crossing (2019)
• Luigi’s Mansion 3 (2019)

Dr. Toto also mentioned that the Nintendo Switch Pro would enable the
company to take on more third-party titles. That’s something
publishers have shied away from in the past because of Nintendo
console’s graphical capabilities, but that could all change in the
summer.

“I am expecting a lot more games from third-party developers in 2019, starting in spring,” he said. “At least one new game from the mega-franchises owned by EA, Activision or Take-Two will launch on
Switch.”

The Switch successfully kicked off another worldwide Nintendo craze.
Nintendo has at least two shots this summer at an opportunity to keep
that momentum going.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)