Despite Nintendo finally releasing its first major upgrade to its hybrid gaming system in the form of the Nintendo Switch OLED, rumors of a 4K Nintendo Switch Pro have refused to go away.

While some speculate that the Switch OLED is a scaled-down version of the originally planned Switch Pro due to the ongoing chip shortage, another theory has surfaced. Perhaps it is that the 4K Switch development kit allegedly distributed to developers (which Nintendo denies) is real and was actually for the console's successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, rather than an enhanced model.

This is the theory put forward by Nintendo insider NateDrake.

In his latest video, he states that the new generation will arrive between the holidays of 2022 and early 2023 and will run games in 4K with Nvidia's AI-powered DLSS technology. The video claims that exclusive titles are in the works, along with several ports from the PlayStation/Xbox platforms.

One possible problem is that the new upgrade will require processing changes that will make backwards compatibility difficult, but NateDrake believes Nintendo will find a workaround. If compatibility with all Switch software proves difficult, then by definition it cannot be the Switch.

According to the video, major developers received their development kits late last year, while smaller developers only began receiving them this year. And it is worth going back to Nintendo's denial language at the time:

When I previously analyzed this language, I stressed that the tense was suspect.

However, looking again through the lens of NateDrake's information could be revealing for another reason. That is that while they have ruled out "providing tools to promote game development for the 4K-capable Nintendo Switch," they have not ruled out providing tools to game developers for a possible successor console.

If this proves to be correct, it feels like the right decision; a 4K Switch Pro would have filled the void, but a true successor would allow cross-platform titles to truly shine on Nintendo hardware and in a game-changing handheld mode. would be able to do so.

Does this mean we should wait to get a Nintendo Switch right now? Not exactly; the current model Switch, including the Nintendo Switch Lite, is an excellent handheld console with a great selection of games.

However, if you have a decent Switch, you might want to hold off on getting the OLED model unless you really benefit from a bigger and better display, as a better Switch may be available in a year.