Two new Nintendo Switch versions are reportedly being manufactured right now, which could mean Nintendo's planning to introduce them to the world soon. The Wall Street Journal reports that Nintendo is shifting some of its production of Switch consoles to Southeast Asian countries such as Taiwan and Vietnam in anticipation of increased U.S. tariffs on electronics coming out of China, and that includes the new models it first reported on back in March.
According to the report, the factories are producing the current version of Switch and two others: a console that looks similar to the original model of Switch but with more powerful hardware, and another that is less expensive and sports a distinct look. Nintendo took a similar approach fot other recent hardware revisions: the performance-centric New 3DS resembled the original 3DS, while the budget-friendly 2DS traded the clamshell design for a one-piece wedge shape.
Nintendo said ahead of E3 2019 that it would not announce any new hardware at the show, and it sure didn't (though it did announce a Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel which still has me filled with a warm bubbly feeling). A Nintendo representative declined to comment on the new versions of Switch when contacted by the Wall Street Journal; the representative did confirm that most Switch consoles are made in China, and that Nintendo is always exploring manufacturing options.
The original Nintendo Switch hardware first hit the market in March 2017. Nintendo's been releasing new versions of existing games hardware since the top-loading NES and Game Boy Pocket, so even without these leaks, it would be safe to assume it has similar plans for Nintendo Switch at this point in the console's lifespan.
Check out our recap of the Nintendo E3 2019 show for all of the official news Nintendo had to share, or watch our latest Release Radar video for everything big in games and entertainment this week.
