We've been waiting for Switch 2 news for quite a while now, but it seems like we'll need to keep on waiting for a bit.
I love my Nintendo Switch, but I know that its time is drawing to a close. Trying to play games like Palia with my wife is a painful experience. The Switch is one of my favorite systems, but I would be lying if I wasn't craving news about a successor. But, at this point, I'm guessing we'll need to wait a little longer before we finally get that news we've been waiting for.
According to the Nintendo Fiscal Report that was recently published, both hardware and software sales have taken a bit of a tumble. Switch hardware sales fell nearly 31% yearly, with software falling roughly 28%. It is unsurprising; it seems like everyone and their mother owns a Nintendo Switch at this point, with roughly 141 Million units out in the wild.
That being said, the aging hardware is starting to lose some of its luster. With portable PCs becoming more commonplace, the allure of the Switch is starting to diminish. Why would I play Palia on the Switch, with its long loading times and rough-looking textures, when I could just install it on my Steam Deck?
Nintendo hasn't said much regarding an exact timeframe for the announcement of the Switch's successor, except that they have plans to reveal it before the end of the current fiscal year. At this point, I'm guessing they're waiting for the Holiday rush, and then announcing the newest addition to the console family.
I'm also very nervous about what happens with the Switch 2. It seems that Nintendo comes out of the gate with something revolutionary and follows it up with a stinker. The Wii? Monumental. The Wii U? Forgettable, except for a few fantastic games that are coming to the Switch. I'm hoping the Switch 2 is a fantastic follow-up that brings the power of current-gen consoles to a handheld form factor.
No matter what it ends up being, I'm extremely excited for the next-generation Switch. Just please, for the love of all things holy, let me play Tears of the Kingdom at 60FPS.