For years, rumors have circulated that a new, more powerful version of the Nintendo Switch is in the works.
Initially, those rumors were paired with word of a less expensive, handheld-only version of the Switch. That eventually came to fruition as the Nintendo Switch Lite, which launched in September 2019.
Thus far, Nintendo hasn't confirmed the existence or development of a more powerful Switch — a Switch "Pro" model, if you will. Both Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furakawa and Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser have said the Nintendo Switch, as a platform, is "at the midpoint" of its lifecycle, which leaves the door open for new versions of the Nintendo Switch.
One thing is clear: It's unlikely that a more powerful Switch would power games that couldn't run on the original Switch that launched in 2017.
Nintendo has a vested interest in catering to its massive market of Switch owners — just shy of 70 million strong as of September 30, according to Nintendo — and the company's leadership has repeatedly said it expects several more years of life for the Switch as an overall platform.
Given that it's been two years since the last iteration of the Switch, and Nintendo's now competing with graphical powerhouses from Sony and Microsoft, 2021 would be a smart time for Nintendo to launch a more powerful version of its very popular console.