While Nintendo itself is still keeping any firm Switch 2 details under wraps until its dedicated showcase next month, analysts believe the company is on course to deliver the biggest launch in game industry history.
According to several Bloomberg analysts, it is expected that the Switch 2 will be more expensive than its predecessor, with the upcoming console potentially retailing for $400 or more – around £310 here in the UK.
“The original Switch’s Nvidia chip is estimated to cost $80 per unit, while the Switch 2’s chip is likely to be in the $130-$150 range,” Toyo Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo goes ahead with $499.”
While Yasuda expects a slightly higher price point than others, fellow industry analysts including Serkan Toto, Yijia Zhai of UBS and Robin Zhu of Sanford C Bernstein believe Nintendo’s upcoming console will see an increase of around $100 or more over the original Switch’s $299 price point. External factors will also be a consideration on the console’s debut, such as the US tariffs.
But, even with this expected higher price tag, the analysts all agree that the Switch 2 will have an auspicious debut.
“They will sell boatloads of Switch 2 in the first months in particular, almost regardless of the price,” Toto said. “We can expect a great software line-up in year one, from new Mario Kart and 3D Mario after eight years to Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4. There will also be third-party support from day one, most probably including blockbusters like Call of Duty.”
Zhu currently expects Nintendo to release its Switch 2 console this June, adding the company has a first-day inventory of 6m to 8m units, which would make it the biggest console launch ever. As Bloomberg notes, the Switch sold 2.7m units during its first month on the market, while Sony’s two most recent PlayStation launches each sold 4.5m units in their respective first quarters.
Macquarie Capital analyst Hiroshi Yamashina, meanwhile, forecasts sales of 20m units during the console’s first year on the market.
Today’s Switch 2 report tallies with what a former Nintendo employee predicted earlier this year.
A Nintendo Direct on the Switch 2 will take place on 2nd April, where we’ll presumably hear about the release date and price. And, just maybe, Metroid Prime 4? But, in the meantime while we wait for more, here’s everything we know about Switch 2 so far.
