Nintendo finds itself in a bit of a paradox lately – the Switch continues to break records, recently surpassing the number of PS4 units sold, but at the same time, the pace of sales has slowed somewhat. After seven years there’s a hunger for new Nintendo hardware (from players and investors) and rumors are circulating that Switch software development may be starting to wind down. What’s the future hold for the platform?
Well, during Nintendo’s most recent investor’s Q&A company president Shuntaro Furukawa admitted the Switch is now entering “uncharted territory” in terms of its lifespan and that sales will likely continue to decelerate. That said, any rumors that Nintendo is wrapping up active Switch software development is false, as Furukawa confirmed there are still games in the works and more likely to be greenlit.
“Nintendo Switch is coming up on its seventh year of sales in March, and we see this as uncharted territory in the history of our dedicated video game platforms. Under these circumstances it is hard to imagine that hardware sales will continue to grow at the same pace they have to date. However, there are titles under development for Nintendo Switch, and new titles will continue to be proposed going forward. We are seeing both new demand and multiple system demand for the hardware, so we think there is still room for growth in sales.”
Oh, and just in case you were hoping for a Switch price cut, don’t bet on it. Switch sales may not be what they once were, but Nintendo’s not interesting in taking a smaller cut.
“As we continue the Nintendo Switch business over the long term, we have tried to preserve the value and prices of both hardware and software as much as possible. We do not believe that policy needs to be changed at this point.”
With games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Pikmin 4 coming out, Switch still has at least one more good year left. As for what happens in 2024 in terms of possible price cuts and new hardware, well, we’ll see. What are your thoughts on Switch in 2023?
