Nintendo is reportedly planning to release a new Switch next year

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Nintendo is reportedly planning to release a new Switch next year

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch.

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  • Nintendo is planning to release a new version of the Nintendo Switch in the second half of next year, The Wall Street Journal reports.
  • The Nintendo Switch hit the shelves in March 2017, and while it has sold just under 20 million units, momentum has slowed.
  • The Journal's report suggests that the new model could be an upgrade on the current Switch, similar to the Xbox One X or PS4 Pro.

Nintendo is gearing up to release a new Switch console in the second half of 2019, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Citing suppliers and others with "direct knowledge" of the plans, the Journal reports that Nintendo is still discussing what features and hardware should be included in the new model. The same sources said Nintendo could be ready to launch as soon as summer next year.

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The Nintendo Switch console was released in March of last year, and while it has sold just shy of 20 million units, momentum has slowed in its second year.

A Nintendo spokesperson declined to comment, according to the Journal, and there were no solid details about exactly how this new console might differ from the current Switch.

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Given the Switch only launched in 2017, a "next-generation" iteration would surprise some. The new model could be an upgraded version, similar to the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, which were released in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Sources told the Journal that one option for improvement could be the display, which could be made brighter, thinner, and more energy efficient.

The Journal also reported that the new Switch would likely share "many features" with the current model, and that its software would also be compatible.

The release of a new Nintendo Switch in late 2019 could potentially arrive just ahead of next-generation consoles. In June, Microsoft's head of Xbox Phil Spencer announced that its engineers are "deep into architecting the next Xbox consoles," and media reports emerged that the new console would be released in 2020.

Business Insider contacted Nintendo for comment.

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