Nintendo: no plans for Switch successor before April 2024

Nintendo does not expect to launch any new or upgraded Switch hardware in the coming financial year, set to end on 31st March 2024.

That's according to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, who spoke with investors this morning following the company's most recent financial results (via Bloomberg).

The Switch has now passed its hardware sales peak, with console sales down 22 percent over the past 12 months. Nintendo forecasts a further fall over the coming year.

And, perhaps more interestingly, Nintendo has now said this hardware shipment number will not include any brand-new Switch replacement, or a beefier Switch upgrade.

Indeed, games industry analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis told me today he expects new Switch hardware coming at the end of 2024, rather than the start.

"There is still some life in the Switch platform yet," Harding-Rolls told Eurogamer. "I expect the new Zelda to drive hardware sales to those upgrading from older versions to the latest OLED model and probably from some entirely new Switch buyers. That will help Nintendo reach its 15m shipment target for the year ending March '24. Software sales remain pretty robust especially for first-party titles.

"Ampere expects a next-gen Nintendo console to be released in late 2024.'

Switch is now entering its seventh year on sale, but while hardware sales are dropping fast, the console continues to shift games and make money from its subscription service.

Nintendo is now reaping the rewards of the Switch's enormous install base, with 22m copies of last year's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet shifted.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launches last week, and will likely offer some form of post-launch expansion programme, akin to Breath of the Wild.

Nintendo also has DLC plans for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokémon still to run for the next 12 months, too.

So, ready to pop Switch 2 on your 2024 Christmas list?