Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has clarified that the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever they call it) will not be announced during the upcoming Nintendo Direct event next month. In lieu of issuing a formal press statement, Furukawa shared news about the upcoming Nintendo console via a tweet. Here’s the translation, followed by the original Tweet it came from:
“This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation.”
社長の古川です。2015年3月にNintendo Switchの存在を公表して以来9年ぶりにSwitchの後継機種に関するアナウンスを今期中に行います。また、2024年後半のSwitchソフトラインナップをお知らせするNintendo Directを6月に実施しますが、そこでは後継機種を扱いません。誤解のないようお願いいたします。
— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) May 7, 2024
Furukawa revealed that the console’s introduction is scheduled for the next fiscal year, which extends through March 2025. This timeline suggests that the reveal could take place nearly a decade after the launch of the original Nintendo Switch in 2017.
Since its debut, the Nintendo Switch has achieved remarkable success, selling 141.32 million units and ranking as the third best-selling video game hardware in history, surpassed only by the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2. Despite its popularity, the system is beginning to show signs of age and is in desperate need of a fresh new replacement in the form of a more powerful upgrade. That said, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom look impressive and play remarkably well on such limited console hardware.
The Switch initially prioritized portability over power, debuting with specifications below its contemporaries. As the gaming industry advances into the next console generation, the Switch is facing challenges keeping up with modern hardware. Nintendo’s creative approach to art styles and direction has helped mitigate these limitations, but after 7-8 years, an upgrade is necessary.
Furukawa’s announcement reassures fans that while the wait for the next console continues, it will ultimately lead to a significant new release from Nintendo.
