Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Leaves Original Console’s Sales Unaffected

Nintendo remains confident that the upcoming reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t put any dent in the sales of its original handheld home console.

These remarks were made in response to a shareholder who was curious about why the company decided to lower its financial forecast for the year. This adjusted forecast decreases the initial hardware and software projections by 1.5 million and 10 million units, respectively.

Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, explained, “Considering the third-quarter sales performance from October to December 2024 and projections for the rest of the fiscal year, we adjusted our sales forecasts for the Nintendo Switch hardware and software.”

He further elaborated, “We also modified our expected exchange rate. These changes, along with other factors, prompted the adjustment of our full-year financial projection. We have reduced our unit sales forecasts, cutting down hardware and software projections by 1.5 million and 10 million units, respectively, in response to sales trends observed during the holiday season. We’ve shifted our end-of-year exchange rate prediction from 140 yen to 150 yen per U.S. dollar.”

Furukawa pointed out the impressive milestone of the Nintendo Switch, noting that cumulative sales have exceeded 150 million units. He highlighted the platform’s strong install base and added, “This year, we were set for a slew of exciting new releases. Coupling this with our wide variety of evergreen titles and our annual playing users surpassing 100 million led us to aim high at the fiscal year’s start.”

Looking back at the holiday season, he observed strong sales for new games like Super Mario Party Jamboree across all regions. He also mentioned the successful hardware sales bundled with games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, especially outside Japan. Despite steady sales for a platform in its eighth year, they did not meet the ambitious targets set initially.

Furukawa acknowledged, “While there may have been a slight impact from consumers delaying purchases because of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, many new buyers still opted for the Nintendo Switch over the holiday season. There were also quite a few replacing or adding systems.”

Regarding software, he noted, “Though year-on-year sales are down, we don’t see a significant impact from purchase delays, as Nintendo Switch software remains compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. The downward revision in our software sales forecast largely stems from a lack of a standout title like last year’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which could have driven excitement and broader engagement.”

For more information on the company’s next console, tune in to the Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 presentation set to stream at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm BST / 3pm CEST on Wednesday, April 2.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set for a global release in 2025, though the exact launch date remains under wraps.