Switch 2 release might break from Nintendo tradition, in a good way

In generations past, new Nintendo consoles have been tricky to acquire. At times the company has been accused of deliberately throttling supply to keep demand high.

In the era of scalping bots though, the problem has been getting enough consoles into the hands of people who want to play them, rather than the unscrupulous free market parasites selling them on at an inflated price.

So it’s good to hear that, for once, Nintendo has had the novel idea of just making enough Switch 2 consoles to ensure everyone who wants one of the new machines, due next year, can get one without having to pay over the odds.

In a recent shareholder Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the company isn’t worried about the semiconductor shortage, which often meant the Switch was in short supply and susceptiable to online profiteering.

“As a countermeasure against resale, we believe that the most important thing is to produce a sufficient number to meet customer demand, and this idea has not changed since last year,” Furukawa said in comments translated by IGN.

“In addition to this, we are considering whether there are any other measures that can be taken to the extent allowed by laws and regulations, taking into account the circumstances of each region.

“Although we were unable to produce sufficient quantities of Nintendo Switch hardware last year and the year before due to a shortage of semiconductor components, this situation has now been resolved. At this time, we do not believe that the shortage of components will have a significant impact on the production of the successor model.”

The Switch 2 is likely to be announced in the first quarter of 2025, with March being the most likely date for the machine to finally succeed the 2017 hybrid console that’s one off the best-selling gaming machines ever made.

The company recently held a Nintendo Direct live stream where it revealed a stellar line-up of games to round off the Switch era in style.