The REAL Reason We Can’t Have a Switch Pro (Maybe)

Everyone grab your fancy suits and Sunday dresses because a new Switch is coming to town! Wow, it looks so amazing I can’t wait to see what’s inside! Oh, wait…. Is that? Is that the same Switch I have now with a fancier shirt on? False alarm everyone. Grab the sweatpants and liquor, we’re sitting this one out. 

It’s an Avocado….. Thaaaanks

When Nintendo said they would be releasing a new console coming out later this year I know I wasn’t the first one to feel the excitement that the Switch Pro might finally be announced.

I also know I wasn’t the only one disappointed when we saw what the new model actually is. If you haven’t seen the comparisons already, I’ll go ahead and break it down for you. Basically, there is nothing different about this new model except it has a bigger and higher quality screen and a thicc, with two c’s, kickstand. 

When you compare the numbers something just doesn’t add up! The resolution is the same, the storage is the same, the chipset is the same, the battery life is the same, the controllers are the same…. You get the point. The only difference between the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch OLED is the screen size and weight. I mean, we all gained some weight during the pandemic so no judgment there. 

There have been rumors of the mythical Nintendo Switch Pro over the last few months, and many of us fully expected Nintendo to announce the Pro during the recent E3. There was even a tip that the Nintendo Switch Pro would be revealed at E3 on June 15th. Not hearing about the new Switch wasn’t the only disappointing part of the 2021 E3, but it certainly didn’t help.

Many of us understand that the pandemic really put a strain on gaming companies everywhere, but some of us still had hope Nintendo would bring the heat regardless of their setbacks. Perhaps we had too much faith in a company that so often disappoints. 

Everyone Grab Your Tin Foil Hats!

I have a working theory on why we are seeing the OLED this year and why the Switch Pro is a pipe dream and may stay that way for a while. The national chip shortage has been a hot topic in the gaming industry these last few months. Nintendo has already admitted the chip shortage has affected their ability to meet the current demand for the Switch. 

The chip shortage isn’t something anyone could have predicted, and everyone is handling it differently during these unprecedented times. However, what if Nintendo really wanted to surprise us with the Switch Pro this year? In fact, what if they went so far as to design and begin production on a nice beautiful casing to go with it?

What if now they have all of these designs and Switch shells and nothing new to put inside it? It feels to me like maybe they needed to do something with their designs and shells, but they knew producing a higher quality chipset with better resolution and higher quality controllers wasn’t going to be possible under the current chip shortage. Even if they were able to magically produce the Pro they certainly wouldn’t have been able to meet demand. 

So out came the Switch OLED. It’s basically something to tide us over and keep us happy while they figure out how to navigate the current shortage. Nintendo can pretty much guarantee that with a higher price tag and the exact same guts as the original model, the Switch OLED isn’t going to be flying off the shelves the same way a Switch Pro would. 

But Daddy Nintendo, I Want it NOW!

With no end in sight to the current scarcity of semiconductor materials, there really is no way of knowing when we might finally get our hands on a shiny new Switch Pro.

When it finally does release, I’m sure there may also be extreme Switch Pro shortages similar to what the PS5 and Xbox Series X have experienced over this last year. With uncertainty on production, limited availability of parts, and absolute criminals running amok (scalpers) don’t expect a Switch Pro anytime soon. 

So, if your Switch has seen its better days and you could use a new one, might as well go ahead and spend the extra $50 it will cost to pick up the OLED model. At least then you can play Breath of the Wild again on a slightly bigger screen than before.