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A Nintendo employee says Switch owners don’t need to upgrade to the new OLED model if they have no interest in the bigger, more vibrant 7-inch screen.
Following the announcement of the Nintendo Switch OLED model, manager of product marketing JC Rodrigo was asked on Twitter if this upcoming console refresh will run any better than the current models available on the market. Rodrigo reiterated performance is not what the OLED system is for and said Switch owners can ultimately “stick with the current one if you’re not digging the screen.”
Rodrigo’s comment makes sense. The Switch OLED model is ostensibly a mid-cycle refresh, not the upgraded version that’s been reported and rumored to feature 4K output and better performance. In fact, Nintendo told VGC that the OLED model has “no major internal changes” over the current one. When reached for comment, Nintendo told us that the OLED model also uses the same Joy-Cons.
Further, it remains unclear if there even is an upgraded Nintendo Switch in the works. The company continues to deny whether a “Nintendo Switch Pro” will launch this year. Though president Shuntaro Furukawa said the company is always developing new hardware, it won’t comment on the rumors.
In short, the Switch OLED model isn’t for everyone. In fact, based on Rodrigo’s statement, this console refresh might cater to a specific audience: those uninterested in the Nintendo Switch Lite. And multiple analysts say a mid-cycle refresh should be expected from Nintendo at this time.
Contrast Rodrigo’s statement with what former Microsoft president Don Mattrick said during E3 in June 2013. In response to the Xbox One’s “always-on” internet connection requirement, Mattrick told fans in an interview with Geoff Keighley to stick with the Xbox 360 if internet wasn’t available.
The Xbox One’s strict limitations would’ve bifurcated the audience and meant that those without a stable internet connection had to forgo Xbox One exclusives and entire functions. Nintendo, with the Switch OLED, isn’t splitting the install base. Regular Switch owners and those who opt for the OLED version won’t get different games–they will just look a little better on the bigger screen.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model launches on October 8 for $350.
