Anticipation for Nintendo's next console has reached a fever pitch, but fans may have to wait a bit longer than expected for the successor to the beloved Switch.
Brazilian journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe, better known by his Twitter handle @phluttilippe, has sparked a flurry of discussions with his latest findings. According to Lippe, who shared his insights in a new episode of his show OX do Controle, the launch of Nintendo's next console is projected for early 2025, a year later than many, including myself, had hoped.
Nobody wants to hear this, but this one is pretty intense.
After consulting 5 sources from 3 different continents, all echoing basically the same thing, OX do Controle today reveals: the launch of the Switch's successor should only happen in 2025.
This news comes from Lippe's extensive research, which included consultations with five sources across three different continents. Despite the diversity of his sources, the message was uniform: the next Nintendo console, which remains shrouded in mystery, has had its release window pushed to 2025.
These sources, deeply embedded in the gaming industry, also hinted at a lineup of games being primed for a Q1 2025 release, suggesting a strategic plan to hit the ground running with strong software support upon the console's debut.
This delay marks a significant shift from previous expectations. Many large media outlets had previously reported an anticipated late 2024 release for Nintendo's upcoming platform, based on information from development sources. This timeline has evidently been changed, according to the latest update from the development community, with some sources now indicating their projects—presumed to be for the so-called "Switch 2"—are targeting an early 2025 launch.
Nintendo, for its part, has remained mum regarding its next-gen console plans. Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo's president, recently sidestepped inquiries about the future hardware during the company's latest earnings meeting. He emphasized that the current Switch model will continue to be the company's focal point through 2024. Details on Nintendo's strategy for the forthcoming fiscal year, which extends until April 2025, are eagerly awaited at the next earnings briefing in May. This timeframe leaves room for speculation that the new console could indeed fall within the 2025 fiscal year... But at this point they barely have any games announced for the current year.
Pricing and features for the new console remain speculative; however, industry analyst Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, anticipates a launch price around $400—a $100 increase from the Switch's debut price. Toto also speculates that game prices could see a hike to $70, aligning with the pricing trends of other current-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
It's expected that Nintendo will continue to embrace portable gaming, a hallmark of the Switch's design that has contributed significantly to its success... and backwards compatibility with the original Switch is a must!
The delay into 2025 sets the stage for heightened expectations and speculation. Nintendo has a history of innovation and market disruption, and its next console is poised to be no exception. With a potential emphasis on portability and a robust launch library, the successor to the Switch could redefine gaming once again. As always, Nintendo's ability to blend tradition with innovation will be critical in capturing the hearts of gamers worldwide. But for now, we must wait... and wait... and wait.
~Smash
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