Switch up
Since its founding in 1889 — when the company began manufacturing handmade Hanafuda playing cards — iconic video-game maker Nintendo has become accustomed to continuously reinventing itself. Even in just the last 2 decades, the consumer electronics giant has produced a host of different game consoles that have brought joy to hundreds of millions of users around the world.
But, like its predecessors, Nintendo’s latest hit, the hybrid Nintendo Switch, is starting to fade — with the company behind the console announcing yesterday that the Switch’s successor won’t arrive until 2025. Investors had expected a new model this year, with the delay sending the company’s shares down 6%.
Inconsolable
Nintendo sales figures reveal that its most successful consoles have a lifespan of approximately 10 years. The Switch is set to celebrate its 7th birthday next month. Although selling the actual hardware isn’t as profitable as selling the games and software that come with it, you can’t do the latter without the former, making Nintendo’s console releases critical to the financial health of the business.
The delay means that the new console — which has been dubbed the "Switch 2" by many in the industry — will have even bigger shoes to fill, as the Switch recently became the third best selling console of all time.
Related reading: Sony has just cut sales forecasts for its flagship PS5 console.
