The newly announced Nintendo Switch (OLED Model), center, is seen with the standard Nintendo Switch, left, and the Nintendo Switch Lite model, right, in this image provided by Nintendo.

       OSAKA -- Japanese gaming giant Nintendo Co. announced July 6 that it will release the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) on Oct. 8, the latest and most advanced revision to its wildly popular handheld console.

       The upgraded console is expected to retail for 37,980 yen (about $344), roughly 5,000 yen more than the current model. It is expected to sell in the United States for about $350, and is set for release in Japan, North America, Europe, Australia and Asia (excluding China).

       Nintendo reported that the new Switch includes a built-in OLED screen that makes colors more vibrant. The Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) is about the same size as the standard version, but the bezel has been shrunk to create 0.8 inches more screen space, for a 7-inch screen overall. The console's onboard memory has also doubled to 64 gigabytes. In addition to the usual neon red and neon blue controllers, the new model also comes with a white option.

       The newly announced Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) is seen in this image provided by Nintendo.

       According to Nintendo, as of March 2021, it had sold 84.59 million Switch consoles worldwide. In fiscal 2020 alone, it shifted 28.83 of them, up 7.8 million units on the previous fiscal year.

       Sales have been bolstered by demand for home entertainment during the coronavirus pandemic. The Nintendo Switch was first released in March 2017, and continues to be popular into its fifth year.

       (Japanese original by Aya Iguchi, Osaka Business News Department)

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