The Nintendo Switch was never the most powerful console on the market and this has only become more evident six years after its launch. But, while you'd think Nintendo is already thinking of replacing the Switch as soon as possible, Nintendo of America president, Doug Bowser, would have you believe otherwise.
Bowser revealed in a new interview with The Associated Press that the company isn't in any hurry to release a successor to the Switch, saying:
As we enter the seventh year for the Nintendo Switch, sales are still strong. I think we still have a very very strong lineup coming. As Mr. Furukawa (Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa) said recently, we’re entering uncharted territory with the platform. It’s exciting to see that demand is still there. So nothing to announce on any future console or device, but we are still feeling very bullish about Nintendo Switch.
Bouser later described the Switch as a "truly unique device" that he believes will continue to sell well for the next few years.
Earlier this year, we reported that the only big Switch exclusive remaining is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but it appears we were wrong.
At the moment, the list of the biggest upcoming Switch-exclusive games is as follows:
- Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
- Pikmin 4
- Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp
- Metroid Prime 4
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
A two-part expansion for Pokemon Violet and Scarlet is also set to come out later this year and early next year, so it's not like Switch owners are left wanting for more exclusives.
Given that the Switch just became the third-best-selling video game console of all time, we don't blame Nintendo at all if it's waiting for the sales to die down. It wouldn't surprise us if the company wants to try and go for the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, which belong to the PS2 (155 million) and Nintendo DS (154 million), respectively.
If we account for a 10% drop in annual sales, this would mean that the Switch would still sell 10 million units every year for the next three years. This gives the Switch a real shot at overtaking the PS2. Also, don't forget, Microsoft is confident that it can get Call of Duty to run on the Switch. Activision Blizzard's marquee shooter is big enough to move the needle on any console it comes out on, so don't be surprised if the release of a properly ported Call of Duty game adds to the sales of the Switch.
Also, Call of Duty 2024 is reportedly still launching on the PS4 and the Xbox One, which implies that Microsoft will want to launch it on the Switch as well.
With three potential Call of Duty games coming to the Nintendo Switch within the next two years, the future is bright for Nintendo's hybrid console.
So, while it's a bummer that the console's strong sales mean that Nintendo won't think about making a successor anytime soon, fans can at least take solace in the fact that it's still going to be a part of Nintendo's long-term plans. The ideal scenario is that the next Nintendo console comes out and the company no longer has to worry about cross-generational support between the Switch and its follow-up.
