A change in the Nintendo Switch 2 release date? Delayed even further?

• Nintendo Switch 2 expected release date in early 2025, as current Switch maintains strong sales.
• Nintendo stays focused on Switch in 2024, with rumors of a next-gen console.
• Nintendo shares dip amid delayed Switch successor news; fans await game updates.

The Nintendo Switch is a massive hit. It’s sold over 130 million units, beating the Wii and catching up to the DS handheld. That means everyone’s wondering – what’s Nintendo’s next move?

Well, Nintendo’s making it clear that the Switch is still its main focus going into 2024, despite all the buzz about a next-gen console. During its latest earnings call, Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, talked about this but remained tight-lipped on a successor to the super popular Switch. But, fingers crossed, we might get some juicy details about what’s next, maybe even a hint at a Switch 2, in its next earnings update in early May.

Rumors and speculations: the Nintendo Switch 2 release date

Speaking of the Switch 2, there’s a lot of gossip going around. Initially, people were saying it would drop in fall 2024, just in time for the holiday shopping craze. But now, some insiders chatting with VGC are hinting at a release date in the first quarter of 2025.

And guess what? VGC’s not the only one hearing these rumors. A video from a Brazilian journalist and some buzz picked up by Eurogamer are pointing to early 2025 as well. Seems like we might have to wait a bit longer for the next big thing from Nintendo.

If the Switch 2 (which is just a tentative name) launches in early 2025, it’ll be hitting the shelves around the same time as its predecessor, which debuted in March 2017. Two sources close to VGC have even confirmed they’re working on games for this new console, targeted for an early 2025 release.

This “later” release date could be a blessing in disguise for developers, giving them extra time to polish up their launch titles.

Take Metroid Prime 4, for example. Announced way back in 2017, its development hit a reset button in 2019, and we’ve been in the dark about it for five years. There’s some chatter, especially from folks at Polygon, that Nintendo might be saving this big title for the launch of their new console.

The Switch 2, whenever it arrives, is definitely going to have big shoes to fill. Its predecessor isn’t just Nintendo’s top-selling console; it’s also outperformed the latest from Sony and Microsoft.

The financial impact of a delayed Switch 2

In the world of finance, Nintendo’s shares took a 6% dip recently on the 19^th of February, 2024. This came after reports from various gaming media, and Bloomberg, suggested that Nintendo’s next-gen console might be pushed back to early 2025 instead of launching later this year.

Though Nintendo hasn’t dished out specifics about a new console, the company has made it clear that it is always cooking up new hardware and software. The gaming giant is expected to eventually launch a new device to take the baton from the aging Switch.

Nintendo even boosted its sales forecast for the Switch earlier this February, as reported by Reuters. Despite nearing its eighth year, the hybrid home-portable device is still attracting consumers. “We want to maintain the momentum of the Switch business,” said Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa during an earnings briefing.

Nintendo’s upcoming Direct

Looking ahead, Nintendo is gearing up to reveal part of its 2024 Switch lineup. On the 21^st of February at 9AM ET, Nintendo is hosting this year’s first Nintendo Direct. The Verge has reported that it is expecting a 25-minute showcase featuring games from Nintendo’s publishing and development partners, all slated for release in the first half of 2024.

It wasn’t exactly a secret that a Nintendo Direct was around the corner. Microsoft and PlayStation have already shared their upcoming releases, and a quick glance at Nintendo’s pattern shows it likes to kick things off in early February.

After many rumors and even a data miner’s report, the Nintendo Direct might be when Tango Gameworks finally announces that Hi-Fi Rush is coming to the Switch – especially since Phil Spencer, the head of the Xbox brand and leader of the global creative and engineering teams responsible for gaming at Microsoft, has confirmed that four previously Xbox-exclusive games will be hitting other platforms like the Switch and PS5.

And in the realm of long shots, but still holding onto hope, it’s been half a decade since Nintendo said Metroid Prime 4 was getting a reboot and moving over to Retro Studios, who worked on the first three Primes. It’s been seven years in total since the company announced the game, but let’s not dwell on that too much. Maybe this Direct will shed some light on that, or perhaps Nintendo’s playing it close to the chest for the eventual Switch 2 reveal.

The delay in the Switch 2’s release, though a source of disappointment for eager fans, offers a glimpse into the complex dynamics of game development, market expectations, and corporate strategy. As Nintendo navigates these waters, the gaming community watches with bated breath, curious about the future, yet appreciative of the present era of the Switch.

---

---

---

---