Nintendo Switch 2 development ‘progressing well’ as original sales dwindle


Nintendo Switch 2 development progressing well - pokemon character performing a peace sign on top of a Nintendo Switch mockup

After 6 years, Nintendo Switch 2 development is nearing the finish line, but the next-gen handheld console is still a while from release.

According a report by Nikkie Asia, the next Nintendo console is currently deep in development in Japan. As a true successor to the company’s wildly successful handheld/console hybrid, the Switch 2 is expected to be a massive boost in computing power.

The report claims that development on the next-gen console is currently progressing at a good speed for the company. As Nintendo Switch console sales start to dwindle, it’s clear that the system is nearing the end of its lifecycle.

However, Nintendo is still selling gangbusters of its console. Over the past year, the Japanese gaming giant has sold 15 million units which, while far lower than 2018’s staggering 29 million, is still unheard of for a Nintendo console at this point in its life.

Sources close to Nintendo allegedly told the outlet that Nintendo Switch 2 development is aiming to be complete by next year. At the earliest, the next-gen console may release in Spring 2024, but that’s not certain.

Unlike the original Switch, which released in March of 2017, its successor may be targeting a Fall or Winter 2024 release date. With Nintendo Switch exclusive reveals heavily winding down, this makes a lot of sense.

Nevertheless, Nintendo is planning a lengthy cross-gen support cycle for the Switch family of consoles. While Nintendo Switch 2 will have its own exclusives, many of them will also release on the original hardware, just like with Wii U and Switch as well as 3DS and Switch.

With the poor performance of games such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on the Switch as well as falling third-party support, it is about time for Nintendo to release a successor.

Sticking with Nvidia technology, there is a hope that Nintendo’s next console will be able to support DLSS upscaling technology to keep its games looking high-resolution on the big screen. However, whether or not Nvidia’s tech can be pushed into a device so small is yet to be seen. 

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