The Nintendo Switch 2 Can't Come Soon Enough

The rollout of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been less than ideal up to this point. Months of leaks spoiled much of the surprise for what’s already a fairly straightforward successor to the second-best-selling console ever. And Nintendo’s decision to follow the official reveal up with two months of nothing is a bummer for enthusiasts. Neither of those factors, however, is likely to impact the excitement and success of the Switch 2.

What has taken a hit in recent months is the original Switch. The eight-year-old device and its software have seen enough of a dip in sales for Nintendo to readjust its expectations a second time. And though it may seem a clear indication that the public’s ready to move on to the next big thing, Nintendo’s President Shuntaro Furukawa says he believes otherwise.

During the nine-month period of March 2024 to December 2024, Nintendo sold 30 percent fewer consoles compared to the same period in 2023. Software saw a similar dropoff, down 24 percent compared to the previous year. As a result, it’s lowered its fiscal year expectations for Switch sales by 1.5 million units. Last November, the company lowered its expectations after softer-than-expected sales then.

It’s easy to understand last year’s drop-off. 2024 was a less bombastic year for the aging Switch. While 2023 saw the releases of new, mainline Legend of Zelda and Super Mario games, 2024’s new Mario Party, a 2D Zelda game, and some re-releases in older Nintendo classics didn’t drive the same demand.

Still, Furukawa believes the decline in Switch sales has little to do with its imminent follow-up.

“We don't think the impact of the reluctance to buy is that great,” he told Japanese outlet The Sankei Shimbun. “We think that it is solid for the eighth year, but we have not been able to reach the plan.”

To be fair to Furukawa, he’s right. A console moving millions of units in its eighth year is impressive. But we’d have to respectfully disagree there isn’t a big correlation between the 30 percent drop-off and players’ reluctance to buy an original Switch. The drop-off is a reflection of the original Switch's lack of exciting releases in its final years. Particularly now that Switch 2 has been shown to the general public (and not just enthusiasts seeking out that kind of information), it would be hard to convince most consumers or even kids to consider buying a console that will be outdated in a matter of months.

While the Switch enjoyed healthy sales going into the holiday season, a continued steep dropoff seems imminent after the Switch 2 reveal garnered dozens of millions of views online. Even for those who aren’t excited to run out and get new hardware later this year, hitting the milestone of selling more than 150 million consoles also means reaching market saturation.

Fans aren’t the only ones with this hunch about the original Switch.

"It is now much clearer how Nintendo overestimated the life that is still left in the Switch at the start of the fiscal year," Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of the Tokyo-based industry consultant agency Kantan Games told Video Games Chronicle. “I’m not sure why they thought they would sell 14 million units this fiscal year with a very dry software slate. Switch 2 cannot come soon enough. I hope for them it is not scheduled for Fall, like not too few people believe.”

Still, the original Switch isn’t going anywhere, as Furukawa said support for the console “will continue as long as there is demand.”

We already know that a few very big Switch releases are in store later this year. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will finally bring the beloved Wii-U exclusive to modern platforms. Pokemon Legends: Z-A marks one last hurrah for the beloved series on the console. And Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will likely be the first party swan song for the aging handheld hybrid.