[Update: Our original story included rumors that the new Nintendo Switch would be announced at E3 2019, however Nintendo has since debunked these claims. The story has been updated to include this.]
For months we’ve heard rumors about a smaller, cheaper Nintendo Switch that could come out sometime in 2019. Now, thanks to a new report, we have a potential launch date for the console: June 2019.
The report comes to us from Bloomberg who spoke to two people familiar with Nintendo’s plans, both of whom not only corroborate the existence of the console, but claim that it’s coming soon.
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What the sources from Bloomberg couldn’t nail down is the exact price - although they say it’s cheaper than the current $299/£279 model - nor its exact specs, saying that the lite version of the console would be smaller and may lack the dock. They didn’t provide any other specific information.
What the sources could say with confidence is that the smaller Switch will be out sometime in June… which, admittedly, would line up nicely with E3 2019 and the company's most-watched Nintendo Direct event.
However, contrary to previous rumors, Nintendo has since denied reports that it will announce a new console at E3 2019 (via Bloomberg).
Bad news for the Nintendo Switch 'Pro'
Of course, the report isn't all good news: the sources claim that earlier rumors about a more powerful Nintendo Switch console are incorrect - according to them, there's no console in development that's significantly different in power.
Where the confusion likely came from is the a slightly modified version of the hardware - what the sources say is a 'modest upgrade' - that seems likely to replace the current model on the market. It's unlikely that this modest upgrade would provide a substantial difference for gamers chomping at the bit for higher frame rates and resolutions (or stop players needing Nintendo Switch micro SD cards for more storage). But it could help make the console more VR-friendly.
While a new Nintendo Switch may not be at E3 2019, we're hoping to hear more about Pokemon Sword and Shield, Luigi's Mansion 3 and Animal Crossing on Switch, but for now all we can do is wait.
- Thankfully, E3 2019 is right around the corner
