Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Leaves Original Console Sales Unaffected

Nintendo seems confident that the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t dented the sales of the original Switch. This reassurance came during a session with shareholders, who were curious about why Nintendo decided to adjust its financial outlook, especially after lowering their forecast for both hardware and software sales by 1.5 million and 10 million units respectively.

Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, shed light on the situation, explaining, “Observing our sales performance in the third quarter, from October to December 2024, alongside the outlook for the rest of the fiscal year, we made the decision to alter our sales targets for Switch hardware and software.” He continued, “We also revised our currency exchange assumptions, which together with other elements, prompted us to adjust our annual financial predictions. Our sales forecasts for units were modified, reducing both hardware and software estimates primarily due to the trends we noticed during the holiday period. Additionally, we’ve revised our expected exchange rate from 140 yen to 150 yen per U.S. dollar as the fiscal year closes.”

Despite these adjustments, the Nintendo Switch remains a formidable force in the market, with cumulative sales comfortably exceeding 150 million units. This reliable platform saw a slew of enticing new releases this fiscal year to bolster sales, buoyed by an extensive library of classic games and a yearly active user base topping 100 million, all contributing to the ambitious targets set early on.

Holiday sales painted an optimistic picture, with titles like Super Mario Party Jamboree performing well across the globe. Outside Japan, lumped packages with hits such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe drove hardware sales impressively. Still, these figures did not fully meet Nintendo’s initial expectations for the year.

While Furukawa acknowledged that some might have deferred purchases awaiting the Nintendo Switch 2, many new buyers jumped onboard, either purchasing their first system, a replacement, or an additional unit. Software sales, although witnessing a year-on-year decline, weren’t significantly impacted by these hesitations, given that Switch titles will be compatible with the new console. He hinted that the softer forecast for software sales might stem from the lack of a blockbuster akin to last year’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which could stir up excitement and boost overall business.

Eager fans won’t have to wait much longer for more details on the next console, with a dedicated Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 presentation scheduled for April 2, airing at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm BST / 3pm CEST. The global launch of Nintendo Switch 2 is set for 2025, though the exact release date remains under wraps.