It’s pretty obvious by now that the successor to the Nintendo Switch is on its way. The Switch is at what seems to be the end of its life cycle, with very few big-hitter games releasing in the next year or so. Right now, all of the information we know about this system is entirely from rumors, as Nintendo has not officially acknowledged the Switch successor. However, there’s still some questions about what the next Switch will be. Rumors are specifically pointing towards release dates and launch titles, but what about the system itself? Are we getting a new Switch or a brand new console altogether?
The Nintendo Switch originally launched in March 2017, and so far has sold nearly 140 million units worldwide, making it the third highest-selling video game system of all time. In the past eight years, Nintendo has released thousands and thousands of games between them and their third-party partners for the platform, with over 1.2 billion software units sold. So, needless to say, the Switch has been a big success. However, even the most successful products fall off at some point. Sure, the Switch is still selling well, but at one point does it seem like the system is outdated? And, as a reminder, the Switch is outdated when compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X.
The Switch’s technical numbers are extremely low compared to its competitors. With a resolution of 720p handheld and 1080p on the TV (barely HD), it matches the PS3 and Xbox 360, which were released nearly two decades ago at this point. And with the sixth PlayStation rumored to be coming out soon, and possibly even more competition on the way, the Switch needs to step it up. And it’s not like the Switch is super original now, unlike it was back in 2017. Other systems, like the Steam Deck and PlayStation Portal are very similar to the Switch’s main concept of a hybrid console, making the Switch even more outdated. So, the Switch definitely needs to switch it up in the next couple years, and that sounds exactly like what Nintendo is doing. As of this post, the Switch 2 has not been officially announced by Nintendo, but is rumored to be released in early 2025. So, now we’ve explained why the Switch needs an upgrade. But what should that upgrade be?
Like I said, the Switch is still a very popular system. In fact, of the big three in the video game console market, Nintendo has a commanding lead in sales numbers. 2023 was expected to be the system’s final full year, but Nintendo ended up giving us a new Zelda, Mario, Pikmin, and so much more. So, the Switch isn’t done yet, but it is coming close. Nintendo’s next system will have to somehow up the ante when it comes to capabilities, and still be able to market the product well and have it succeed. Keeping the ‘Switch’ moniker will help with that a lot, since people already know the Switch and what it is, making it an easy sell; however, that doesn’t guarantee success – as we saw with the Switch’s predecessor.
The Wii, which was released in 2006, was similar to the Switch in having inferior hardware but still selling more units than the competition. Their next system, the Wii U, was marketed very poorly and in turn sold nearly 90% less units than the original Wii. Now, saying that however, the Wii and Switch (otherwise) are nothing alike. Unlike the Wii, the Switch appeals to all types of gamers, has lots of 3rd-party support, and has been active for about eight years at this point instead of six. So, that does give a much better window for a new Switch, but terrible marketing could still jeopardize the system’s success. If Nintendo were to go a different route, they would have to really market it well and make sure people knew its name by the time it was released. However, I am very confident that the next console will be, in some way, tied to the Switch.
What are your predictions for the Switch 2? Let me know in the comments below.