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Pachter Predicts Nintendo to Release Handheld Only Switch in 2019, PS4 and Xbox One Price Cut

Pachter Predicts Nintendo to Release Handheld Only Switch in 2019, PS4 and Xbox One Price Cut - News

by William D'Angelo , posted on 01 March 2019 / 3,647 Views

Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter in an interview with GamingBolt has predicted Nintendo will release a handheld only model of the Nintendo Switch. He expects the Joycons to be integrated into the tablet, as well as a drop in price. 

"Nintendo may position it as a reinvented Switch," said Pachter. "My guess is that Nintendo will take the Switch and get rid of the 'Switch' part, so it’ll be handheld only. They’ll probably just make the Joycons part of the integrated body of the tablet, and probably drop the price. Get rid of the docking station, and the external power supply- just turn the thing into a handheld that’s rechargeable with a power cord, you know, like a normal handheld, and charge $200 for it."


Pachter expects Microsoft and Sony to drop the price of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, respectively. 

"So they do that, Sony can probably cut the price, Microsoft probably will cut the price," he said. "You’ll probably get a $199 Xbox and a $249 PlayStation, and a $199 Switch that’s handheld only, and that’ll probably be enough to drive unit demand to keep it constant year-over-year."

Pachter was asked if a Switch Pro would release in 2019 that would be similar to the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One, however, he doesn't expect one so soon. 

"Not in 2019, zero chance," said Pachter. "Sure, there’s a chance in a few years, but not next year."


A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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26 Comments
SuperNintend0rk (on 08 January 2019)

So apparently PS4 and XB1 prices will be going up this year and Nintendo will never release a handheld only Switch :P

  • +16
Mr.GameCrazy SuperNintend0rk (on 08 January 2019)

Thanks, Michael Pachter!

  • +2
Zkuq SuperNintend0rk (on 08 January 2019)

Also: Switch Pro confirmed!

  • +2
SuperNintend0rk SuperNintend0rk (on 08 January 2019)

Yup with 100% chance in 2019 lol

  • +3
bamf (on 09 January 2019)

So gamingbolt wanted to interview this idiot, why? I wish gaming publications and gaming sites stopped interviewing him, quoting him or giving him any attention what's so ever. Then again maybe patcher wants to feel important and pays to be interviewed?
Unless he knows about a handheld only switch where does he come up with this nonsense. For a start it wouldn't be a switch and nintendo would need to change the name. The fact that nintendo has no reason other than savings on the docking station to bring out a hand held only switch. It is already handheld patcher you prick.

  • +1
DonFerrari bamf (on 09 January 2019)

Not only the could save on the dock, they could integrate the controls and also downclock or remove some of the GPU, making the cost smaller. Not much I would say.

  • 0
DonFerrari (on 09 January 2019)

Damn Patcher jinxing PS4 price cut.

  • 0
SuperRetroTurbo (on 08 January 2019)

The Nintendo Switchless. Genius.

  • 0
KungKras (on 08 January 2019)

Please don't give this man a platform.
We've already had our fun with him but it's gotten old. You're only making the site look bad by mentioning him.

  • 0
Rogerioandrade (on 09 January 2019)

Isn´t this the same guy who said that Vita would crush the 3DS? Geeezz.... nobody knows where this person came from, why people insist in giving him attention ? A portable-only Switch is pointless, everybody knows that.

  • -2
gemini_d@rk (on 08 January 2019)

So ps4 and xone up to 399 and nintendo will make a only desk console at 299.

  • -3
GaoGaiGarV (on 08 January 2019)

Pachter doesn't predict, he just tells his personal opinion. When will people learn?

  • -4
Rogerioandrade GaoGaiGarV (on 09 January 2019)

Apparently, never. This guy is crazy

  • 0
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Zkuq TalonMan (on 08 January 2019)

Well, he still has his job, so he has to be doing something right.

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Ganoncrotch TalonMan (on 09 January 2019)

See! I wasn't insane :D awesome that you fixed it though. Was making me think my comments were popular!!

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Chicho TalonMan (on 09 January 2019)

what he is getting right is generating clicks or views, he doesn't have to get anything right as long as he gets people to read and comment on what he says.

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SuperNintend0rk TalonMan (on 09 January 2019)

Thanks for fixing it! It's been annoying me for ages but I didn't think to give feedback about it. Now I know who to complain to lol

  • +1
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DonFerrari shikamaru317 (on 09 January 2019)

The dock isn't 100 USD by itself in cost or so. In Japan they already sell dockless...
For they to reach a 200 USD they would need to make some other cuts as well or regular Switch would already be overpriced if doesn't take a 50USD cut.

  • 0
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DonFerrari shikamaru317 (on 09 January 2019)

If I were to guess I would put Switch costing 200-250 at launch.

But the point is that if they have the price of Switch regular and HH only diff by only 50 bucks or less then it won't really benefit them.

Sure they can make the next revision that would bring Switch cost down a lot but atribute most of it only on the HH version (that you can't put on the dock, because that would canibalize them) and just later discount the regular one.

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