The Nintendo Switch casts a massive 125-million-unit-sized shadow. So, you can’t blame Nintendo for feeling the pressure. And, while the usually stoic gaming giant won’t be caught dead telling you that it’s in a bit of a tiff, those whose ears are close to the ground will tell you two things: the next Nintendo console is coming late next year and it’s in danger of falling short of expectations.
Despite the 2021 reports of Nintendo working on a 4K Switch Pro development kit, this mysterious “next-gen Nintendo” is rumored to feature an LCD screen in lieu of the more premium OLED – a practical decision to slice costs, but one that may ruffle feathers within the Nintendo loyalists’ ranks.
Furthermore, the report by Video Games Chronicle claims the next Nintendo console will be out sometime in the second half of 2024, presumably during the holiday season, to give Nintendo enough time to prevent the stocking issues faced by the current-gen consoles, especially the PlayStation 5.
Nintendo’s strategy of mid-cycle hardware releases – a departure from its competitors – has often given the console a fresh start, free from the cacophony of simultaneous launches. This approach has its merits. However, Nintendo’s challenges go beyond astute timing. The company must court its diverse fanbase, appealing to hardcore gamers and the casual, family-oriented crowd alike. The upcoming console needs to coax them into an upgrade by offering compelling features.
Drawing lessons from the past, Nintendo will have to avoid the blunders it made with the Wii U. Although some argue that the product’s shortcomings were more about its inherent weaknesses rather than its branding, the failure of the Wii U to generate buzz was a critical factor. As an awkward bridge between the Wii and Switch, the Wii U left many consumers in confusion. To make its next move a success, Nintendo needs to improve on the Switch and perhaps offer cross-gen buys with free upgrades for older games, instead of compelling users to repurchase their entire game libraries.
Luckily, VGC’s sources claim that the Nintendo Switch 2 could feature a cartridge slot – a nod to physical games, even as the era veers towards the digital.
Nintendo is well aware of the expectations set by the Switch after it surprised everyone, including Activision Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick. One way of leveraging the Switch’s success while guaranteeing sales for its successor is to backward compatibility.
In Nintendo’s chess match with the gaming industry, the company never rushes to make its next move. Even as the Switch’s sales start to decelerate, Nintendo stays its hand, refusing to flood the market prematurely. This measured approach, however, doesn’t reflect a diminished focus on their hardware.
In recent weeks, leakers have come forward with information about the next Nintendo console. Case in point, test units are reportedly already in the hands of MercurySteam, the developers of Metroid: Dread. In addition, a developer “accidentally” leaked information about the Switch 2, which was followed by Nintendo’s increase in Research and Development spending. Finally, the most recent report before VGC’s claims that the Switch 2 could be out as early as early next year.
Amidst this fog of speculation, Nintendo remains as enigmatic as a sphinx, leaving its ardent fans and casual observers alike suspended in a tantalizing state of uncertainty. Is Nintendo preparing to release the Switch 2? Is the Switch Pro real? When can we expect the next Nintendo console to come out?
These are all questions that we’d love to know the answer to but probably won’t until Nintendo is ready.
If it’s any consolation, Nintendo doesn’t look like it’s dropping support for the Switch anytime soon. There’s a smorgasbord of first-party exclusives that are coming out later this year, including Detective Pikachu Returns (October 6), Super Mario Bros. Wonder (October 20) and Super Mario RPG (November 17), among others.
