Nintendo President Says Switch Successor Announcement Still On Track for 2025

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has reconfirmed the company’s plans to announce its next gaming console before the end of the current fiscal year, which runs through March 31, 2025. The statement came during an online press conference following Nintendo’s latest earnings report, though no additional details about the upcoming hardware were provided.

This timeline maintains Nintendo’s previous stance from May, when the company first disclosed its intention to reveal the Switch successor within the fiscal year. However, the announcement comes alongside revised financial projections, with Nintendo lowering its Switch hardware sales forecast from 13.5 million to 12.5 million units and reducing its operating profit outlook by 10% to ¥360 billion ($2.4bn).

Despite the adjustments, Furukawa noted the Switch’s continued market strength, stating, “For a platform that is in its 8th year in the market, both hardware and software enjoy stable demand and brisk sales.” However, the Nintendo president acknowledged that sales had fallen short of initial projections, necessitating the revised forecasts.

The news impacted Nintendo’s market performance, with shares declining nearly 4% following the earnings report. Toyo Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda suggested that a 2023 announcement appears unlikely, noting that such timing would conflict with the crucial holiday shopping season.

Industry sources indicate a potential launch window beyond the current fiscal year. According to games industry journalist Chris Dring, developers have reportedly been informed not to expect the console’s release before April 2025, with many anticipating a launch around April or May.

The current Nintendo Switch, which debuted in March 2017, has already achieved a milestone by surpassing the Famicom as Nintendo’s longest-running console before replacement.

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