It may be hard to believe that the Nintendo Switch is coming up on its 4th anniversary in just about a month. The hybrid handheld-home gaming console was a make or break system for Nintendo, which was just coming off of the lackluster Wii U. Poor sales, a lack of third-party support, and overall consumer confusion didn't set the Nintendo Wii successor up very well, but thanks to some some classic Nintendo innovation, the Switch managed to bring the company back stronger than ever, with a system boasting great accessibility, incredible developer support, and more.
In the ever-changing realm of video game consoles, one trend that has caught on recently is that of console revisions. To provide consumers with even better experiences (and make some extra dough in the process), companies like Sony and Microsoft have gotten in the habit of creating more capable iterations of their consoles throughout their lifespans to adapt to more advanced games, such as the PS4 Pro releasing just 3 years after the base PS4, and the Xbox One X releasing 4 years after the Xbox One. Nintendo even serves as an example with the many Nintendo DS revisions throughout the console's lifespan. And now, speculation is running rampant about a Nintendo Switch console revision, and one rumor calling it the Super Switch has caught the eyes of fans everywhere lately.
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It seems that a new supposed leak and rumor pops up about a Nintendo Switch Pro nearly every week at this point, making it clear that fans are clamoring for more of the popular system. Rumors about the Switch Pro being called the Super Switch first caught traction just a few days ago, when a Brazilian journalist and reputable Nintendo insider known as PH Brazil posted a tweet in response to speculation about a newly announced Monster Hunter Rise special edition Nintendo Switch bundle. Since its initial announcement, fans have theorized that due to how impressive the Switch-exclusive Monster Hunter Rise looked, it seemed possible that the game would release alongside a Switch Pro.
When replying to the fan theory, PH Brazil seemingly corrected the fan's naming of the hardware revision as the "Switch Pro," instead referring to it as the "Super Switch." From there, rumors and speculation exploded, with fans even finding an older leak that seemed to mention the Super Switch. Back in October of 2020, reputable Valve insider Tyler McVicker posted a tweet about various Nintendo Switch games, and finally noted that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would be a launch title for the Super Switch. It's worth mentioning that PH Brazil later took to popular video game forum Resetera to clarify that the Super Switch was simply something he has been joking about as the most ideal name for a Switch hardware revision for some time now, and the tweet was not meant to be a tease or hint of any sort. And while PH Brazil may have been joking about the Super Switch name, that still leaves fans wondering about the leak referencing Breath of the Wild 2.
Back at E3 2019, Nintendo closed it digital presentation with a very ominous trailer which was used to announce that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in development. Since then, a plethora of rumors and supposed leaks have popped up regarding the Breath of the Wild sequel's title, release window, and more. If McVicker's Breath of the Wild 2 leak is anything to go off of, then it signals that fans can expect to see the new Zelda game launch hand-in-hand with the Super Switch. This means that should fans ever learn of a release date for either the new game or the new console revision, it is possible that they can expect the other to release alongside it. And while news about the sequel to Breath of the Wild has been incredibly quiet, The Legend of Zelda's 35th anniversary this year could shed some light on the title's upcoming release, perhaps in turn hinting at the Super Switch.
Seeing the Breath of the Wild sequel release alongside the Super Switch would be a nice callback to the Nintendo Switch's initial launch, which saw Breath of the Wild release alongside the system as a launch title. On the other side of things, the Super Switch carries some implications for Breath of the Wild 2 as well. Should the new console and game release hand-in-hand, it is likely that the Breath of the Wild sequel will be capable of much more on the new hardware. More advanced hardware could eliminate the need for external storage, allowing for a larger game overall. The Super Switch could present fans with an even more impressive and expansive open world than in the original Breath of the Wild game, and rumors about an OLED screen on the new system could mean an even more enjoyable Zelda experience on the go.
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Another popular theory surrounding the rumored Super Switch has to do with the origins of its name. It's no question that Nintendo has been rather experimental with its naming conventions in the past, with systems like the New Nintendo 2DS XL and even the Wii U. Now, fans are theorizing that the name Super Switch makes the most sense for the hardware revision. First of all, aside from the "pro" name being overplayed by now, calling the new Switch console the Nintendo Switch Pro might confuse consumers who see the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller on store shelves, leading them to think that the controller is not compatible with the base Nintendo Switch. Most importantly, the Super Switch name could serve as a direct callback to Nintendo's iconic 16-bit console, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but that's not all.
It turns out that The Legend of Zelda isn't the only anniversary Nintendo will be celebrating in 2021, as the 30th anniversary for the SNES also happens to fall on this year. In the past, Nintendo has gone out of its way to celebrate all kinds of anniversaries, and while Nintendo could certainly celebrate the retro console by re-releasing the SNES Classic Edition from 2017 or adding more SNES games to Nintendo Switch Online, paying homage to the SNES with the Super Switch would undoubtedly be even more fitting. After all, the Nintendo Entertainment System cemented Nintendo's place in the video game industry while the Nintendo Switch saved the company from their troubled Wii U era, so alluding to the NES' successor in this way may be the best way to pay respects to both the SNESN and the Switch.
A new Nintendo Switch model is reportedly in development.
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