Nintendo chief insists the Switch momentum will keep going, even after its successor


Furukawa did not give details on the greatly anticipated upcoming machine but stressed all current game software will be playable on the next Switch. — AP

TOKYO: Japanese video game maker Nintendo’s chief said Nov 6 that Switch console sales were still going strong, while he promised its successor is coming.

"The momentum of the Nintendo Switch hasn’t stopped,” President Shuntaro Furukawa told reporters.

His comments come a day after Nintendo reported a 60% drop in its fiscal first half profit, largely because of declining sales of the Switch, which now is in its eighth year, as well as Switch games.

Furukawa did not give details on the greatly anticipated upcoming machine but stressed all current game software will be playable on the next Switch.

People may want to keep playing the offerings from the rich lineup already on sale, as well as the games they own, he added, insisting the Kyoto-based maker behind the Super Mario franchise wasn’t hemmed in by the idea of a console’s “life cycle”.

Nintendo is investing in both hardware and software development research, as well as movies, merchandising, amusement parks and music, Furukawa said.

Another Mario movie is set to be released in April 2026, a sequel to last year’s hit film, and a Zelda movie is also being planned, although a date wasn’t given. Movies boost game and machine sales, and the absence of a movie this year was one reason sales faltered, according to Nintendo.

Theme park Super Nintendo World is opening in Orlando next year, and another is set to open in Singapore. They’re already open in Japan and Los Angeles.

Official stores also help boost Nintendo fans, and a new one is opening in San Francisco next year. Nintendo stores are already open in New York, Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto, in addition to the temporary pop-ups in various cities.

More than 100 million people around the world are playing the Switch, including those of all ages, according to the company.

Nintendo's shares, which have risen over the last year, had added 3.3% by midday Nov 6. – AP

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Tech News

Exclusive-Amazon likely to face investigation under EU tech rules next year, sources say
US natgas producers chase AI-driven surge in power demand to weather low prices
Snowflake shares surge on rosy forecast, AI deal with Anthropic
Digital banks lead profitability gains among Brazilian lenders, says central bank
PayPal fixes outage that affected thousands worldwide
X's former top policy chief takes job with Elon Musk rival, Sam Altman
Alibaba integrates e-commerce platforms into a single business unit
US watchdog issues final rule to supervise Big Tech payments, digital wallets
Nvidia to build AI school in Indonesia, VP says
A Google PC running Android could be in the works

Others Also Read