Summary
The upcoming release of theNintendo Switch 2won’t end support for the original Switch, according to a recent Nintendo earnings call. As the first Switch enters its eighth year in production, its future has been in question since the announcement of its follow-up console. Fans who aren’t ready to buy aNintendo Switch 2upon release are in luck, as it’s now clear that the company will support both generations simultaneously, at least for now.
In many ways, the Switch 2 is a direct replacement for its predecessor, even apart from its name. It looks largely the same but offers more functionality and power. Nintendo has also announced thatthe Switch 2 is backward compatiblewith digital and physical Switch games, which could render the older system obsolete in some gamers' eyes. However, Nintendo isn’t quite ready to lay the original Switch to rest and may not be for some time.
In an earnings call reported by Sankei, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said the companywill keep selling the Switch as long as there’s demandfor the older console. Continuing to manufacture and sell the hardware likely means Nintendo will also keep up with software updates and game releases, too, as these tend to end after physical production stops. The announcement aligns with earlier rumors that there’s at leastone more big release for the original Switchin store before the company focuses on its successor.
Nintendo Will Still Support the Original Switch Despite Declining Sales
Nintendo’s support for the OG Switch comes despite lower-than-expected sales for the console. In the same earnings call, the company revised its forecasts to reflect lower profits for the fiscal year than originally planned. Much of that comes from lower Switch sales, with Nintendo now expecting to sell 1.5 million fewer units than it initially anticipated, likely from people holding off in favor of getting a Switch 2 when it releases. TheSwitch 2’s announcement seemingly hurt Steam Deck sales, so it would make sense for demand for the original Switch to fall at the same time.
Even considering this decline, Furukawa expressed that the company doesn’t believe the impact of people waiting on the Switch 2 will be a huge financial hit for the original Switch or Nintendo as a whole. There’s no word on how long it thinks demand for the original Switch will justify continued support, but it doesn’t seem like that day will come soon. Some analystsdon’t expect the Switch 2 to sell as well as the first, so there may be reason for ongoing cross-gen support for a good while.
