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Nintendo is focusing on existing Switch models rather than the heavily-rumored Switch Pro, according to Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser.
In a new interview with Polygon, Bowser touched on the rumors of a Switch Pro and whether or not the company is looking at a refreshed Switch with more powerful hardware down the line. He said the success of the current models, the Switch and the Switch Lite, allow the company to view life cycles differently and that Nintendo's focus is on the momentum of those models at the moment.
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"It allows us to manage the life cycle differently, I would say," Bowser told Polygon when asked about the success of the Switch and whether or not it gives the company time for a model refresh if needed. "I think that's the easiest way to put it. Right now, with the momentum that we have, our focus will be on the existing form factors."
Bowser also spoke to the rumors that Nintendo may be holding back certain yet-to-come titles for a rumored Switch Pro model and according to the Nintendo of America president, the company is currently leaning into what it sees as a "very strong lineup for this holiday." He also said Nintendo will continue to release content on a "regular cadence year-round" and that there's a lot more to come that will be released when it's ready.
When pressed further by Polygon about a future hardware refresh, Bowser said Nintendo is changing the trajectory of the console life cycle with the Switch.
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"However, we also see right now [...] that the momentum on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite in the fourth year is strong," he said. "And we believe we're changing the trajectory of another typical console life cycle. And we will continue, for the foreseeable future, to really lean into both of those platforms and the content that comes with it, because it's the symbiotic relationship that makes the real difference. And it's why Nintendo Switch is so differentiated."
Bowser also said the company is always looking at technology and whether or not it can "enhance and improve the gameplay experience." Whether that can be done on a current platform or a future one, Nintendo is always looking into it, he said.
The rumors of a Switch Pro began in 2019 where it was believed by some that the Pro could arrive in 2020, but Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said back in January that the company would not release a new Switch model in 2020. Then, in August, a new report claimed that a new Switch model — believed to be the Pro — would launch in 2021. Bowser's comments could seem to contradict that report so we'll have to wait and see what 2021 brings.
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Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.