Budget Nintendo Switch Could Arrive By End Of June

There have been a ton of rumors surrounding new Nintendo Switch models, and now we have more to share on both the budget version of the console that's expected to drop sometime this year, as well as the more powerful upgraded model that's been discussed.

According to sources who spoke with Bloomberg, the lower-end Nintendo Switch is "likely to be launched by the end of June." We previously reported on a story about this model releasing in the fall, so this means we could have our hands on the discount Switch a lot sooner than we think.

Not surprisingly, Nintendo expects to see increased growth from the introduction of this cheaper Switch. Depending on the price point, it could entice some of the Nintendo's 3DS customers to make the leap over to the company's hybrid console, further increasing the platform's install base. And hey — those people are going to need games, too. Nintendo will likely sell a lot more of those as a result.

But what about the high-end model? The rumored "Switch Pro," as some have labeled it? That might not be coming in the way people think.

The same Bloomberg sources who spoke about the cheaper Switch also addressed the more expensive model, and according to them, it's not happening. Instead, the existing Nintendo Switch will receive a "modest upgrade," which sounds like it'll be more in line with the tiny jump between the 3DS and New 3DS as opposed to, say, the massive leap between the Xbox One and Xbox One X.

We wouldn't be shocked if the news on the upgraded Nintendo Switch is accurate. The current Switch didn't launch with top-of-the-line mobile hardware at the time, and there is definitely room to improve on that front. But upgrading to an extreme would present a whole new list of issues for Nintendo, ranging from battery life in portable mode to the price of a console with more expensive innards.

Maybe we'll see the Switch re-release with a Tegra X2 processor. Or maybe the "modest upgrade" could be as simple as a Switch with more on-board storage. Whatever the case, Bloomberg reports that we should expect that hardware revision sometime this year.

We'll let you know if we hear more on Nintendo's updated Switch models.