A new report suggests that the Nintendo Switch 2 could potentially be Nintendo’s most expensive console yet, but it may have a stacked launch catalog.
According to Bloomberg, investors are expecting the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 to have a massive launch, but the system may cost gamers over $400 USD.
What the Analysts Believe
Market analysts believe that the console will be at least $100 more expensive than the first Switch’s current MSRP of $299. They add that tariffs could potentially change Nintendo’s pricing strategy as well, but the confusion and other related oddities could make it a nonissue.
One of the key factors in guessing a price range for the Switch 2 is the overall cost of parts. When Nintendo was originally buying the Tegra X1 chips for the original Switch, the company was paying $80 per unit, according to Hideki Yasuda of Toyo Securities. He estimates that the more powerful Switch 2 chip will cost Nintendo between $130 – $150.
In the report, analysts also seem to believe Nintendo will sell up to 8 million units during the console’s launch period, with up to 20 million units sold in the first year. In comparison, the original Switch sold 2.7 million units in its first month despite the console being relatively hard to find outside of pre-orders.
Image via Nintendo
For the most part, market analysts simply look and gauge the market’s trends, how they believe it will change, and compare that against the past of the companies they’re watching. In the case of Nintendo, it’s all about the popularity of the Switch, how well their games sell, and what they believe Nintendo will be able to sell by choosing one price over another.
Outside of pricing, a group of analysts believe we could see the handheld release in June of this year. Nintendo has released consoles in a variety of different months throughout the year, but they do trend towards summer or fall releases. For example, the Nintendo DS Lite and Game Boy Advance were released in June, but over the course of the company’s history, they have dropped eight consoles in November.
I’m no market analyst myself, but if anyone were to ask me when I thought a Nintendo console would release, my guess would always be November.
Switch 2 The Moon
Analysts also believe that the Switch 2 may see a strong launch catalog from day one. Referencing the impact of titles like Mario Kart 8, Mario Odyssey, and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4, they believe the company will be full steam ahead in ensuring that the beloved titles that they’ve released on the Switch will remain pivotal to the brand.
Recently, Nintendo hasn’t had the strongest library of titles for releases, but has usually had one crucial title carry a lot of the hype associated with the console. The Switch was released with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but the Switch follows one of their lowest-selling consoles to date, the Wii U. Coming off of the original Wii, the Wii U had numerous launch titles covering every demographic. Batman: Arkham City, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, New Super Mario Bros U, and Just Dance 4, to name a few.
Image via Nintendo
The hype for the Switch 2 is almost palpable amongst both modern and retro gamers alike. The Switch managed to create a division of consoles that can be played while out-and-about, and also docked and hooked directly to a TV with little issue in between.
Given the massive success the Switch has already seen, it’s a no-brainer that the company is doing everything it can to ensure its successor is just as popular.
To read the full report, you can find it over on Bloomberg.
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