Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Leaves Sales of Original Console Unaffected

Nintendo has expressed confidence that the upcoming reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for its original portable home console. This assurance came during a session with shareholders where one investor probed into why the company had decided to lower its financial expectations for the year. Initially, Nintendo had reduced its sales targets, trimming both hardware and software projections by 1.5 million and 10 million units, respectively.

Addressing the concerns, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa explained, “Looking at third-quarter sales statistics and anticipating the fiscal trends, we decided to tweak our sales forecasts for the Nintendo Switch in terms of both hardware and software,” he said.

Furukawa further elaborated, “We made adjustments to our expected exchange rate as well. These factors, among others, prompted us to revise our annual financial goals. Specifically, we’ve cut our projections for unit sales, which included a reduction by 1.5 million units for hardware and 10 million for software, reflecting the holiday sales climate. Our revised exchange rate is now set from 140 yen to 150 yen per U.S. dollar.”

The Nintendo Switch has indeed crossed a significant milestone, surpassing 150 million units in sales and establishing a strong user base. Furukawa noted that this year, the company was set to roll out a plethora of exciting new titles. This, combined with evergreen favorites and an active user base of over 100 million, set them ambitious targets at the year’s onset.

During the holiday period, hits like Super Mario Party Jamboree thrived across all regions, and markets outside Japan saw excellent hardware sales, especially when bundled with popular games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Even though the platform is entering its eighth year, sales figures didn’t quite meet the initial robust targets.

While Furukawa acknowledged a minor influence from those awaiting the Switch 2, he noted a significant surge in new customers worldwide purchasing the original Nintendo Switch. In addition, numerous users upgraded or added to their systems during the festive period.

As for the software angle, despite a year-on-year dip in unit sales, Furukawa believes the delay in purchases wasn’t major, considering Nintendo Switch games will be compatible with the Switch 2. The decision to lower software sales predictions, he noted, partly arose from the absence of a singular blockbuster comparable to last year’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which had previously fueled broad excitement and engagement.

Make sure to catch the Nintendo Direct presentation for more details on the Nintendo Switch 2. It will air on Wednesday, April 2, at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm BST / 3pm CEST. Fans can look forward to the global release of Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, with an official launch date to be announced.