Nintendo is rumored to be launching the successor to its incredibly popular Nintendo Switch in the latter half of 2024. According to insiders familiar with Nintendo’s future console strategy, they conveyed to VGC that while it would retain the portable nature of the Switch, specific details are tightly held for now.
The tech giant has consistently maintained an air of mystery regarding its hardware progression. Just a few months ago, when probed by investors regarding the lifespan of the Switch, which was unveiled in 2017, Nintendo’s president Shuntaro Furukawa shifted the conversation to the enduring performance of its software. He remarked on the impressive sales trajectory of software, noting, “Major titles like last year’s Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and the recent The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom have crossed the 10 million sales mark within a mere three days of their launch.”
The Switch, despite its staggering sales of over 125 million units, has seen a slowdown in its growth trajectory over the past year. While there have been challenges in optimizing performance for certain heavyweight titles such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom stands as a testament to the capabilities of the current Switch, delivering an immersive gaming experience with rich graphics and seamless performance.
Diving Deeper: Could 2024 Witness the Arrival of the Switch Pro?
VGC’s intel on the potential launch window resonates with a report by Nikkei earlier, suggesting a similar release schedule, which is informed by Nintendo’s dialogues with component vendors. Moreover, during a financial discourse in May, Nintendo hinted at no major hardware launches until the culmination of its 2023 fiscal year in April 2024.
Yet, the rumor mill continues to churn. Sources confided in VGC that the anticipated console might adopt an LCD screen over the higher-end OLED to ensure cost-effectiveness. A pertinent feature highlighted was the inclusion of a cartridge slot, implying a nod to physical game enthusiasts. The sources remained tight-lipped on whether this upcoming device would support existing Switch games, a question of paramount importance to gamers with substantial investments in their present Switch game collections. Nintendo, when approached by Kotaku, remained non-committal.
These new revelations seem to pivot slightly from previous speculations. In 2021, there was a buzz, courtesy of Bloomberg, suggesting that Nintendo had circulated 4K Switch Pro development modules to select developers. Nintendo had promptly rebuffed these as “unsubstantiated rumors.” This fresh perspective on LCD-centric hardware has certainly added a new twist to the anticipatory narrative surrounding Nintendo’s next move.
