Nintendo Switch 2 potential release date is very far away — here's why

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Nintendo Switch is "barely in the middle" of its run

Nintendo Switch 2
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Holding out for a Nintendo Switch 2? You might not see one for another three years. On an investor call on May 7, the gaming giant said that its flagship system is "barely in the middle" of its run.

According to GameSpot, David Gibson of fund management firm Astris Advisory Japan KK live-tweeted and translated the call for those wondering how Nintendo has fared in recent months. In part thanks to the massive success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the company shared an optimistic outlook for its leading game console.

Although the company did not directly divulge whether there's a Nintendo Switch 2 coming anytime soon, it spoke to the projected lifespan of the existing Nintendo Switch. 

"Barely in the middle of the switch cycle, no change to that view," Gibson tweeted.

The Nintendo Switch debuted in March 2017, meaning Nintendo doesn't have plans to release its predecessor for another three years or more. That means that we might not see a Switch successor until 2023 or later. 

As GameSpot pointed out, six years total of Nintendo prioritizing the Switch would give a similar runtime to the Wii.

For now the company appears motivated to continue growing the Nintendo Switch's brand and game catalog. The console even received a sales boost in recent months, as people staying home more are gaming in their spare time. More and more people are trying to figure out where to buy Nintendo Switch because of how quickly it sold out of major retailers.

Nintendo is keeping customers interested on the games front, too. Gibson said the number of paid Nintendo Online users, "has increased from Pokemon and AC [Animal Crossing.]"

It's also rumored that the Nintendo Switch is getting a ton of classic Mario games this year, which will appeal to dedicated or longtime fans of the Super Mario franchise. 

Let down by having to wait for the Nintendo Switch 2, or whatever console Nintendo intends to reveal next? Distract yourself with some of the best Nintendo Switch games, which we've recently re-ranked with the hottest new titles worth trying out. 

Kate Kozuch
Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She writes about smartwatches, TVs, audio devices, and some cooking appliances, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following if you don't already. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.