This article was originally written for TheNintendoVillage.com, a website I founded and ran from 2018 to 2021.

The Switch’s firmware was updated to version 10.0.0 yesterday, bringing with it a number of new features including button remapping and data transfers. Hidden within the update though, there’s a hint to an completely new Switch model altogether.

Dataminer Mike Heskin did some digging and reported on Twitter that there’s a reference to an entirely new hardware model hidden within the update code, as well as mention of support for a second screen:

Firmware 10.0.0 adds preliminary support for a new hardware model: "nx-abcd".
3 of the 5 new DRAM profiles are for this new hardware type and there's evidence of a secondary display of sorts being added exclusively on this model.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
— Mike Heskin (@hexkyz) April 14, 2020

What this all means right now is anyone’s guess. Some replies on Twitter are hoping for 3DS compatibility in a future Switch model, or a return to some of the Wii U’s a-symmetrical gameplay. We also discussed what a new Switch model could entail on this week’s Nintendo Village podcast, but until Nintendo give us an official reveal, guesses is all we’ve got.

Let us know down in the comments what you think the big N might have in the works!

Source: Twitter