While talking to Nikkei Asia about declining Switch sales and trouble on the horizon, a source close to Nintendo has revealed that the development of a new console seems to be progressing well at the company. If internet rumors are to be believed, this mystery console is none other than the Nintendo Switch 2.
Many gamers had thought and hoped that Nintendo will launch Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on next-gen Switch console. This proved to be unfruitful, as the company is set to release the game on May 12. They have also designed a Switch OLED model featuring TOTK’s colors.
Source close to Nintendo discloses that the company is working on new console
Even with the release and successful commercial reception of the Super Mario Bros. movie, Nintendo has predicted lower sales in the next fiscal year as compared to last year. On May 9, the company made a prediction that they will sell 15 million Switch units, a figure 3 million less than the sales performance of Switch during the last fiscal year.
Switch, currently six years old console, was surprisingly reporting exponential sales, contributing heavily to the company’s core business. However, there are rumors that Nintendo is quite content with its performance, having sold over 10 million units a year four-five years after the console’s launch. The decline in Switch’s sales has given many gamers a hope for next console, maybe a Switch 2 or Switch Pro.
According to speculation, it is not plausible that Nintendo will launch a new console before next spring. With a showstopper coming to Switch, it would be safe to assume that the company will not release the Switch 2 this year.
However, it is important to acknowledge that six years is usually the gap Nintendo takes before rolling out new consoles. This could mean that Switch 2 might roll out early next year. Even with the slowdown in Switch hardware sales, Nintendo profits and share prices keep soaring, all pointing towards a secret weapon in the chest, most likely a new console.
