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Nintendo's Next-Gen Console Likely Won't Arrive Until 2023 At Least
It looks like Nintendo’s next-generation console after the Switch isn’t likely to be released until 2023 at the least, given that it’s only around halfway through its expected life cycle. The Nintendo Switch was only released three years ago, back in March of 2017, and has sold over 55 million units worldwide so far. It also recently faced a worldwide Nintendo Switch supply shortage during the ongoing global pandemic crisis that Nintendo has since remedied.
The post-2023 expectations match the timelines of some of Nintendo’s previous console releases. The Wii was released back in 2006 and was followed up by the Wii U in 2012, while the Nintendo DS came out in 2004 and was succeeded by the 3DS in 2011. Even the gap between the 3DS and the Switch, which has ostensibly become both Nintendo’s singular home and portable console, is also around six years. The only time in recent history where Nintendo released a new console earlier was when the current one wasn’t doing so well, which was the case with the Wii U and GameCube.
Investment advisor David Gibson reported on his Twitter, after attending the Q&A session following Nintendo’s latest earnings report, that Nintendo believes the Switch still has several years left to its life cycle saying that it’s, “Barely in the middle of the switch cycle, no change to that view.” This reflects the previous statements of Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa from a similar Q&A back in February where he said:
Quote:
“The Nintendo Switch business will soon enter its fourth year, and we believe it is just entering the middle of its life cycle. We are looking beyond the next fiscal year to consider how to move forward in the next fiscal year and ones to come.”
A Nintendo Switch Pro version was also previously rumored to be in the works, but Nintendo has said that it has no plans to launch a new Switch model this year, which isn’t surprising given that the company released the Switch Lite just last year. The smaller and lighter handheld-only version of the Switch has sold over six million units since it was released back in September 2019, which includes several color options and a special Pokemon Sword and Shield edition. The regular Switch also recently launched a new special Animal Crossing: New Horizons edition for the game’s release.
It isn’t surprising that Nintendo has no plans on releasing a next-generation console in the next several years given the success of the Switch and its continued momentum. Any official announcements or even rumors that the company is working on a next-generation console could effectively slow down the momentum of the Switch so it wouldn't be unexpected that Nintendo will keep quiet about any plans for a next-generation console until very close to its release.
