Nintendo Chief Confirms Successor to the Switch

May 8, 2024, 10:18 am | Read time: 3 minutes

In recent weeks, the rumor mill about a successor to the popular Nintendo Switch has been in full swing. Now, Nintendo has officially commented on the console for the first time.

The Nintendo Switch was not only a milestone for the Japanese company, which had previously fallen short of economic expectations with the Wii U. The flexible console also made a significant impact on the handheld console market. Today, competition in this segment is more vibrant than ever. Nevertheless, the Switch holds a special position for many. However, since it has been seven years since Nintendo launched the console, it’s time for a Switch successor. To be honest, the device didn’t set technical standards even back then. Until now, the community had to rely on rumors and leaks–that has now changed.

First Official Statement on Successor to Switch Console

On the platform X (formerly Twitter), Shuntaro Furukawa, president of Nintendo, provided tangible information about a new Nintendo console for the first time. The official company account reads the following statement:

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The key sentence is: “We will make an announcement about the successor to the Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year.” The current fiscal year runs until March 2025.

In a conference in early 2024, Furukawa stated, according to “Bloomberg,” that the Switch remains Nintendo’s main business for the current calendar year. Therefore, we can expect a successor in 2025. At least there is now a fixed timeframe–at least for an announcement. Whether the mentioned new device is a Nintendo Switch 2, a Pro device, or even a completely different console is not clear from the post.

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Nintendo Switch Successor Urgently Needed

Furukawa’s statement aligns with recent rumors. As early as February 2024, there was a leak that Nintendo had approached several game publishers to communicate a release in 2025. Initial rumors had suggested a 2024 launch, but that was unlikely from the start–the Nintendo Switch is still selling too well.

Despite the OLED version released in 2021, the console really needs an update. The hardware has long been unable to keep up with current game requirements. Storage and battery are also significantly outdated compared to the competition.

If Nintendo announces a successor to the Nintendo Switch in spring 2025, a release for the holiday season next year is likely. New consoles traditionally appear at the end of October or in November.

Nintendo Direct Announced for 2024

Along with the statement about a Switch successor, Furukawa also announced another Nintendo Direct event. This is set to take place in June 2024. The focus will be on software offerings for the current Switch–information about a new model is actively excluded by the Nintendo chief.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.