Earlier this week, Nintendo confirmed it will announce “the successor to Nintendo Switch” before the end of March 2025. While this appeared to be confirmation of the long-rumored Nintendo Switch 2, the company’s statement merely announced the existence of a “successor” and didn't state whether its next-gen hardware will be a Switch 2.
However, we now have our strongest indication yet that whatever Nintendo is cooking up will be a second-generation Switch console. As reported by VGC, during an earnings call, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was asked if this successor would be something new and he replied by saying, “Switch next model is the appropriate way to describe it.”
In the results call when asked if the next gen console was brand new or ... Furukawa answered "Switch next model is the appropriate way to describe it" :) #NintendoSwitch #NintendoSwitch2 https://t.co/ytF4oh0fN0May 7, 2024
This is not confirmation that Nintendo Switch 2 will be the gaming giant’s next hardware release, but it’s an indication that whatever comes next will build upon the existing Switch range.
We can safely assume that Nintendo’s next system will also be a home console/handheld hybrid, and Furukawa's comment is good news for the odds of the Nintendo Switch successor being backwards compatible with the Switch’s library.
Furukawa’s brief statement also lines up with several longstanding Switch 2 rumors that suggest it’ll be an evolution of what came before, rather than a wholesale revolution as Nintendo has opted for in the past, such as when jumping from GameCube to Wii or Wii U to the original Switch. It’s a safe bet that Nintendo’s next hardware will be an iterative machine.
There’s a whole load of unsubstantiated claims about the Switch 2 floating around online, these range from the most recent reports that the console will include re-designed Joy-Con controllers to more fanciful claims that it will be a device with a strong focus on VR. Check out our comprehensive Nintendo Switch 2 hub for all the latest rumors and insider tips.
Switch 2 won’t be another Wii U
The biggest takeaway from Furukawa’s words is that Nintendo may have learned its lesson after the disastrous release of the Wii U. The commercially disappointing console released in 2012, with a big focus on its tablet-style controller, but failed to live up to the sales success of its predecessor, the Nintendo Wii. It sold around 13.5 million units globally, a disastrous drop compared to the Wii's 101 million units.
Several reasons have been cited for the (commercial) failure of the Wii U but its central focus on a gimmicky controller, its confusing name (some thought Wii U was merely an add-on for the Wii rather than a new system) and its radical departure from what made the original Nintendo Wii so successful are often claimed to be the console's chief failings. Fortunately, it appears that Nintendo won’t make the same mistake this time, and its next console will look to capitalize on the current Switch.
The first-generation Switch has become one of the most successful gaming consoles in history, shifting a massive 141 million units through March 2024. The consumer demand for a hybrid system is strong, and Nintendo doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. Its next console should be a refinement of the current Switch offering the same features but with more raw power, and a more clear-cut name like Switch 2!
It appears (but isn’t technically confirmed yet) that Nintendo is thinking along the same lines, and its Switch successor will be at least somewhat similar in design and functionality to its predecessor. Now we just need to await its full reveal, but at least we now have a deadline by which we'll have further details.
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