Games are more important than hardware refresh.

The NES and original Gameboy back in the day far outlived where you'd have thought the technology had moved on.

As long as the games continue to be good, then the graphics aren't going much. People who really care about graphics are probably on PC by now... I think we'll see a cheaper switch soon, though - maybe a non-portable version?

Zelda TotK would have been the best game to showcase the power of a Switch Pro. Nintendo rejected the plan to release a Switch Pro and released Switch OLED instead because of supply issues. There's no way we'll see another mid gen upgrade (Switch Pro/Advance).

Sales of Switch should be around 10M next year. I can't imagine that Nintendo waits longer than November 2024 to release a Switch successor.

Something I forgot to bring up in my last post is that sales are still strong without a price drop. I think they'll give it at least a year alone on the shelves at a reduced price before bringing out their new system.

I can't imagine their next system is going to cost much more than $300, right? 7-8 years after the Switch, assuming the form factor and controllers are similar, they can get much better tech in there for a similar price. I wonder what kind of profit they're making on current Switch sales at $300.

But yeah, 2025 release at the earliest imo.

You can tell when Nintendo is about to release a successor based on their software schedule.  The first party releases the year before a handheld system is replaced look like several small to medium-ish titles plus one really big title (usually Pokemon).  So far that is what it looks like this year with Zelda being the lone really big title.  Based on what we know so far it looks like Switch is releasing in 2024.

However, it doesn't necessarily have to be this way.  If they have a Summer Direct announcing big titles for the second half of the year, then they are pushing the Switch 2 release back to 2025 or 2026.  However, last year their Summer Direct was only a Partner Direct and had no first party titles.

Basically, I'm saying that 2024 is the most like date for the Switch 2 to launch, but we have to see what the next Direct holds to be sure.

Unless the Switch 2 caps out around Xbox One to PS4 specs in docked mode, there's virtually no chance it's below $350. If it's around an Xbox One to PS4 in portable mode, and better in docked, we're looking at $400 as a strong possibility. But again, $350 is likely as well.

I know Nintendo has kept pretty consistent prices with their hardware over time, but inflation since the Switch launched is higher than average. Keep in mind as well that the basic Wii U launched all the way back in 2012 for $299.99 (about $397.38 today). 

Even the Wii's adjusted launch price is $377.13. And with the Switch? $372.21. 

If Nintendo does wait until 2025 or later for a successor, I really do think they should drop the price. Going into Holiday 2024 with Switch still at $299.99 seems like a bad idea. 

I see nothing that mentions definitely that the pandemic was a direct cause of the plug being pulled on Switch Pro, other than rumors and vague references to "unnamed source says". Pandemic shouldn't make a difference, especially in 2023, and if Nintendo still wanted to go through with the 1.5 update, they absolutely could. OLED was able to be released in late 2021, why would it be so much harder to manufacture a pro? I think it could still happen, likely in 2024. But even if it doesn't, there's little reason to jump into the next-gen when the console has such a massive library with pretty big releases still trickling out (not to mention cloud-based third parties), and sales still exceeding even the PS5. My prediction may be a bit outlandish but I'm still going out on a limb and sticking with early 2027 as the release for the true Switch succesor, as I have since last year.

The pandemic even affected regular Switch supply. Everything was. If Nintendo had a pro then there is no doubt in the world the pandemic affected it.

I bet Nintendo will release its new console in November 2024. A new Mario will be the game to boost the initial sales.

The reason is Switch hardware and software sales are declining. It's only gonna sell like 10 million units next year and less software than this year so 2027 is extremely absurd. What makes sense is to release some cross-gen titles for a while to take advantage of the install base and build up the install base of the successor at the same time to get it ready for when they fully drop support for the Switch than for Nintendo to wait so long to release it that they harm their business for no reason. Nintendo supported the 3DS till 2019, it's not like they instantly dropped it the second the Switch came out or waited till they were finished supporting the 3DS to release the Switch cause that would've been a terrible idea.