Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Leaves Original Console’s Sales Unaffected

Nintendo remains confident that the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t tamped down sales of the original Switch console. This statement was made to address concerns from shareholders who were curious about why Nintendo had adjusted its yearly financial expectations downward, cutting both hardware and software projections by 1.5 million units and 10 million units, respectively.

Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo’s president, explained, “Looking at our performance in the third quarter, which covers October to December 2024, and considering the rest of the fiscal year, we opted to adjust our sales predictions for both hardware and software.”

He added, “Alongside these adjustments, we also modified our anticipated exchange rate. These factors combined prompted us to alter our annual financial forecast. We’ve specifically reduced our sales ambitions, expecting to sell 1.5 million fewer hardware units and 10 million fewer software units than previously anticipated. This is largely due to sales trends observed during the holiday season. The assumption for the exchange rate has shifted from 140 yen to 150 yen per U.S. dollar.”

Despite these changes, the success story of the Nintendo Switch is undeniable. “Sales of the Nintendo Switch have crossed the 150 million mark, carving out a substantial user base. This year, we lined up a series of exciting new releases, backed by timeless classics and over 100 million annual active users. All of these elements contributed to our initially optimistic projections.”

For the holiday stretch, new releases like Super Mario Party Jamboree performed notably well worldwide. Internationally, bundle packs featuring hits like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe saw strong sales as well. Although the console, now in its eighth year, maintained steady sales, it wasn’t quite enough to meet the ambitious targets set earlier in the fiscal year.

“There might have been some hesitation among consumers eyeing the imminent launch of the Switch 2, but the holiday season still saw a robust number of new adopters and existing users buying either replacement or additional units,” Furukawa continued.

As for software, while there’s been a year-over-year dip in sales figures, Furukawa points out that the hesitation to purchase wasn’t significantly due to the Switch 2 announcement, especially since Switch games will be compatible with the new device. The downward revision in software sales expectations is partly due to the absence of a major title like last year’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which had the kind of wide-reaching impact that energizes consumer excitement and drives sales.

Fans eager for more details about Nintendo’s upcoming console should mark their calendars. A Nintendo Direct presentation dedicated to the Nintendo Switch 2 is scheduled for April 2nd, at 6 am PT / 9 am ET / 2 pm BST / 3 pm CEST.

The much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for a 2025 global release, though an exact date remains under wraps.