Nintendo, the Japanese video game company, is set to announce the successor to its popular Switch console this fiscal year. The announcement was confirmed by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa during a financial report presentation on Tuesday. The new console will be unveiled before the end of March 2025.
The current Nintendo Switch, which was first released in 2017, has been a commercial success for the company. It offers portability and versatility, allowing users to play games both on-the-go and at home. However, sales have started to decline with an expected sale of 13.5 million units in the current financial year compared to sales of 15.7 million units last year.
Nintendo has a long history of reinventing its consoles and games, and the Switch is no exception. When it was first launched, it took the world by storm for its unique hybrid design that allowed users to play games on-the-go or at home using a dock. The console's graphic performance was lower than its rivals like PlayStation and Xbox, but consumers didn't mind thanks to the wide range of entertaining and often family-friendly games in Nintendo's stable.
The new Switch successor is expected to build on the strengths of its predecessor while addressing some of its weaknesses. Details about the console are scarce at this point, but rumors suggest that it may have improved graphics performance and a more advanced controller design.
Nintendo's financial report also revealed that there will be a Nintendo Direct in June 2024, which will focus on software for the current Nintendo Switch. However, the announcement of the new console is not expected during this presentation.
The upcoming Nintendo Direct is likely to provide more information about upcoming games for the current Switch console. Some of the titles that have been confirmed include Luigi's Mansion 2 HD, which will be released on June 27, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, both scheduled for release in 2025.
Nintendo has a rich history of creating iconic characters like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and Pokémon. The new Switch console is expected to continue this tradition by offering innovative games that appeal to a wide audience. With the announcement of the new console just around the corner, fans are eagerly anticipating what Nintendo has in store for them.
