Nintendo, a (once again) powerhouse of the gaming industry, is making headway in the development of its next-generation hardware, a successor to the wildly popular Nintendo Switch. This update comes via a source intimately familiar with the platform holder's operations, as reported by Nikkei Asia. Thanks to Wario64 for the heads up!
According to the insider, "Development seems to be advancing at a steady pace." They went on to add, however, that fans shouldn't expect to see the new product hitting shelves any time sooner than spring 2024.
These insights coincide with a recent report from Nintendo indicating a slowdown in sales of its current Switch consoles. Despite the drop, the company has managed to sell nearly 18 million more Switch units during the fiscal year ending in March. This feat brings the lifetime sales of the console to a staggering 125.62 million!
In a forward-looking statement, Nintendo projects to sell around 15 million Switch units during the current fiscal year. If achieved, this would still denote a 16.5% decline in year-over-year sales.
As the Nintendo Switch enters its seventh year in the market, Nintendo acknowledges the challenges of maintaining the same sales momentum. "Our goal is to have more consumers continue to play Nintendo Switch for longer, leading to maximized sales," the company stated.
During an earnings call, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa expressed some reservations about hitting the 15 million sales target for the current fiscal year, but held steady on that goal.
As reported by Bloomberg, Furukawa emphasized that no new or upgraded hardware has been factored into the company's annual forecast. He acknowledged, "Sustaining the Switch’s sales momentum will be difficult in its seventh year. Our goal of selling 15 million units this fiscal year is a bit of a stretch. But we will do our best to bolster demand going into the holiday season so that we can achieve the goal.”
In light of the slow but inevitable decline in the sales of the Switch, Furukawa underscored that the transition to the next console is a major focus for the company. They are keen to ensure a smooth transition, with the ultimate goal of minimizing the risk of resetting their user base.
While the sales of the Nintendo Switch may be experiencing a slowdown, the company is already looking ahead to its next offering. The successor to the Switch is reportedly in the pipeline, with the development process going well. As the gaming world waits in anticipation, Nintendo's focus is clear: keeping its loyal user base engaged while innovating for the future. Until then, we have Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to keep us busy :-)
~Smash
Comentários