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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Update: Leaker says the new Switch model he teased is next-gen, not a revision, Q1 2024 release

JWeinCom on 27 February 2023
Soundwave said:
JWeinCom said:

When exactly did he say this? He may not have been talking about calendar year, as I believe Nintendo's FY starts and ends in March. 

He said this in the investor's Q&A like last week when asked if they had plans outside of just software to boost existing Switch sales (which is basically asking are you planning to cut the price here or release new hardware or what?)

Q: Considering the unit sales results for the current fiscal year, it seems like it will be difficult to
stop the slowdown in hardware sales just by releasing new software. Are you planning any
specific measures for next fiscal year?

A: Nintendo Switch will soon mark its seventh year since launch. Ideally, we would like to
maintain unit sales volume next fiscal year at the same scale as this fiscal year. However, looking
back at the holiday season, our results were affected in part by external factors like the change
in consumer behavior caused by inflation and the diversification of entertainment choices due

to the resumption of economic activity. Especially in overseas markets, it was more of a
challenge for Nintendo Switch to be seen by consumers as their first choice of entertainment.
Sales have been steady entering the fourth quarter, but in the Nintendo Switch’s seventh
year, it might be hard to increase unit sales with hardware-related initiatives alone. That is
my candid impression.

That seems like a weird answer to give when you are releasing new hardware to boost sales. Unless he considers Switch 2 a completely different product line or something. 

Thanks for the clarification. Clear they're not talking about the fiscal year ending this March. I would personally take that to mean the Swtich as a platform (anything that plays essentially the same library as the Switch). I wouldn't say it rules out a successor. Definitely worded in such a way that it doesn't actually tell us much, as is often the case with execuspeak. 



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Soundwave on 27 February 2023
JWeinCom said:
Soundwave said:

He said this in the investor's Q&A like last week when asked if they had plans outside of just software to boost existing Switch sales (which is basically asking are you planning to cut the price here or release new hardware or what?)

Q: Considering the unit sales results for the current fiscal year, it seems like it will be difficult to
stop the slowdown in hardware sales just by releasing new software. Are you planning any
specific measures for next fiscal year?

A: Nintendo Switch will soon mark its seventh year since launch. Ideally, we would like to
maintain unit sales volume next fiscal year at the same scale as this fiscal year. However, looking
back at the holiday season, our results were affected in part by external factors like the change
in consumer behavior caused by inflation and the diversification of entertainment choices due

to the resumption of economic activity. Especially in overseas markets, it was more of a
challenge for Nintendo Switch to be seen by consumers as their first choice of entertainment.
Sales have been steady entering the fourth quarter, but in the Nintendo Switch’s seventh
year, it might be hard to increase unit sales with hardware-related initiatives alone. That is
my candid impression.

That seems like a weird answer to give when you are releasing new hardware to boost sales. Unless he considers Switch 2 a completely different product line or something. 

Thanks for the clarification. Clear they're not talking about the fiscal year ending this March. I would personally take that to mean the Swtich as a platform (anything that plays essentially the same library as the Switch). I wouldn't say it rules out a successor. Definitely worded in such a way that it doesn't actually tell us much, as is often the case with execuspeak. 

True, you always have to weed through the execuspeak. But it doesn't really to me seem to hint at a Switch Pro. Switch 2 as in something that they technically view as a different product line ... yeah, maybe. 

Also it could just be that this leaker is correct but the timing is March/April 2024 as the Pokemon DLC he/she is talking about runs through April 2024. 



JRPGfan on 27 February 2023
IcaroRibeiro said:

If this is true, I hope they do sell next gen upgrades for their Switch first party games. I would love to play an enchanted versions of some Switch games that I don't find very graphically appealing

I think most you'll get is just maybe higher resolutions for switch games.
I wouldn't go expecting every current switch game to get fps patch's that boost those, or texture packs ect.
To be fair, on Playstation and Xbox, alot of games, only get that as well.

However I think Nintendo will be more direct than Playstation/xbox, when it comes to the cut off point.
With both the others, alot of games are made to also run on last gen consoles, and that then limits how much can be done on the newer Gen systems.
Nintendo will nintendo, and just "this game needs a Switch 2". Which will come with the upside of no last gen system req. holding said titles back.



Soundwave on 27 February 2023

The one point I would say is in favor of this leaker's posts is Nintendo seems for no reason to be very secretive about games post-July this year for what I can tell is no real good reason.

Like last year this time they had already revealed the big fall title (Pokemon Violet & Scarlett was unveiled in Februray for a November launch, we had also already seen footage of Bayonetta 3 and Splatoon 3 and Xenoblade 3, all 2nd half 2022 titles).

So why the big secrecy over anything post-July 2022 this year? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense it feels like.

It could be that they have a new Mario for fall 2023 but they don't want to reveal it before the movie and just like the current evergreen Mario platformers sell through the fall, but that's about all I can come up with. 



Wman1996 on 27 February 2023
Soundwave said:

The one point I would say is in favor of this leaker's posts is Nintendo seems for no reason to be very secretive about games post-July this year for what I can tell is no real good reason.

Like last year this time they had already revealed the big fall title (Pokemon Violet & Scarlett was unveiled in Februray for a November launch, we had also already seen footage of Bayonetta 3 and Splatoon 3 and Xenoblade 3, all 2nd half 2022 titles).

So why the big secrecy over anything post-July 2022 this year? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense it feels like.

It could be that they have a new Mario for fall 2023 but they don't want to reveal it before the movie and just like the current evergreen Mario platformers sell through the fall, but that's about all I can come up with. 

That could be, but perhaps the secrecy is the lack of upcoming first-party games this year. If Nintendo has a new system coming out in 2024 (we don't know if they do), why would they need to have a clearly communicated second half of 2023 way in advance?

Switch is the third best-selling platform of all-time, and Tears of the Kingdom launches in May. Add that to the huge library of Switch games already available and they can be coy. 

I would all but guarantee that the holiday title or (titles) this year will be more lowkey. 

2017: Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 2

2018: Pokemon Let's Go, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

2019: Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokemon Sword and Shield

2020: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

2021: Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

2022: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Even in that lineup, you have at least one year that was more minor (2020). In all fairness, COVID-19 affected things, I'm sure. 

All that to say, there's not much of a need for a big holiday title anymore in the Switch's life. Tears of the Kingdom will sell like crazy at launch and the holiday season. I don't think we'll already get Black and White remakes this holiday, but it's possible. 



Lifetime Sales Predictions 

Switch: 151 million (was 73, then 96, then 113 million, then 125 million, then 144 million)

PS5: 115 million (was 105 million) Xbox Series S/X: 57 million (was 60 million, then 67 million)

PS4: 120 mil (was 100 then 130 million, then 122 million) Xbox One: 51 mil (was 50 then 55 mil)

3DS: 75.5 mil (was 73, then 77 million)

"Let go your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind." - Guru Laghima

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AJNShelton on 27 February 2023
JWeinCom said:

 While they sometimes do release sequels on the same console (Totk, Mario Galaxy 2, Skyward Sword)

Actually they tend to release at least 2 Zelda per system almost every time

NES: TLoZ and Zelda II AoL

SNES: ALTTP

N64: OOT and MM

GameCube: Wind Waker and Twilight Princess

Wii: Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword

Wii U: BOTW

Switch: BOTW and TOtK



Pachofilauri on 27 February 2023

Please name it Super Switch,
With TofK next gen upgrade and metroid prime 4, new 3d mario



Pemalite on 27 February 2023

Definitely overdue, but I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo pushes it out further, the current Switch still has wiggle room for discounting to move hardware.



--::{PC Gaming Master Race}::--

Soundwave on 27 February 2023

Sounds like Nintendo showed this Pokemon Presents to select press/media members last week, so it's very possible this is a hoax.



Hiku on 27 February 2023
Soundwave said:

Third, Furukawa told investors he doesn't think new hardware would boost sales much this year (from the Q&A):

"But in the Nintendo Switch’s seventh year, it might be hard to increase unit sales with hardware-related initiatives alone. That is my candid impression."

That doesn't really sound like new hardware this year. Of course Nintendo can do whatever, but I do have some doubts. We'll see I guess if there's increased chatter/leaks in the next few months.

I think you missed a keyword in that sentence. At least you didn't adress it.
There's a distinction between"hardware-related initiatives" and "hardware-related initiatives alone".

Meaning that hardware-related initiatives coupled with something like new software may be viewed in a different light.

As for why they'd launch the system months after Zelda,I don't think that would hurt the launch in any way as long as they have compelling software at launch, such as Mario Kart, which is their biggest seller on Switch. Or a new Mario. It's been 6 years since last time.
And getting people to buy Zelda again for the enhanced version doesn't seem like a bad idea.