New Nintendo Switch system update ‘improves stability’

A new system update for the Nintendo Switch has been released.

According to Nintendo, Tuesday’s version 19.0.0 update includes “general system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.”

While not advertised in the official patch notes, dataminer OatmealDome reports that “pretty much every system component was updated” with its release.

“This is normal for major updates, as the entire OS is rebuilt with a newer SDK version,” they said.

And no, “changes that matter for game devs” doesn’t necessarily mean Switch 2.

Could just be something simple like “Nintendo changed the name of something, so now developers need to update their game code accordingly if they want to use the newer SDK”.

— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) October 8, 2024

Alleged images of Nintendo’s Switch successor appeared online last month, showing a design that’s not too dissimilar from the company’s current-gen console.

While the images are unverified, one source, who has not seen the final ‘Switch 2’ console but has been briefed on Nintendo’s plans, told VGC that the pictures matched what the company had told partners to expect from its design.

The images are also in line with earlier reports on Switch 2’s design. Previously, publications including VGC reported that Switch’s successor would include a larger 8-inch screen, and a Nintendo patent suggested that it would be opting for a new magnetic attachment for its controllers.

Nintendo plans to announce its next console during its current fiscal year, which runs until March 31, 2025.

Another popular Switch emulator, Ryujinx, was taken down this month following pressure from Nintendo.