Prior to the official announcement of the Nintendo Switch OLED, Bloomberg reported that a new Switch model would be released with 4K capability, and a bigger, OLED screen. When the OLED version of the system was announced over the summer, many were surprised that the 4K aspect of that reporting did not pan out. However, a new report published by Bloomberg alleges that several developers affiliated with Nintendo were given dev kits to work on 4K Nintendo games before the OLED reveal. Bloomberg claims that Nintendo pivoted from this plan, possibly as a result of the global chip shortage that has led to struggles across the video game industry.
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Bloomberg has apparently identified 11 developers of varying sizes using these dev kits to work on games for Nintendo, despite the fact that there is no compatible Nintendo console. In Bloomberg’s reporting, the only developer identified was Zynga, Inc., which is the team currently working on Star Wars: Hunters. Some of these developers apparently expect to release their 4K Nintendo games “during or after the second half of next year.” This could mean that another Switch model is currently in development, or the successor to the Nintendo Switch might be released towards the end of 2022, or in early 2023. The Nintendo Switch released in the first quarter of 2017, so that would mean a six-year lifespan for the console, if that were to be the case.
Bloomberg apparently reached out to Nintendo about these reports, but the company called them “inaccurate,” without going into further detail. Nintendo has always been notoriously tight-lipped, and has often intimated that it is always working on new hardware. A 4K console from the company is basically an inevitability at this point, but whether or not that was ever the plan for the Switch OLED is impossible to say for certain.ย
Of course, it hardly seems to matter, at this point. The Nintendo Switch continues to be an absolute juggernaut for Nintendo, with hardware and software selling incredibly well for the company. While 4K consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X are highly sought after, both companies cannot meet the demand. At this point, Nintendo might not be in any rush to release a system that most people won’t be able to purchase.
What do you think of Bloomberg’s new reporting? Do you think the Switch OLED was going to be capable of supporting 4K? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
