Switch it up — Nintendo reportedly set to produce 30 million consoles in 2018

By Gabe Gurwin November 10, 2017

Nintendo Switch review — Mike Epstein/Digital Trends

The demand for Nintendo’s smash-hit Switch console continues to outpace the company’s production, but that will likely change in 2018. Nintendo is reportedly set to manufacture up to 30 million consoles in the next year, and some analysts even predict it could eventually surpass the Wii.

The report comes via the Wall Street Journal, which has learned that Nintendo is planning to make between 25 million and 30 million Switch systems during its next fiscal year, beginning in April 2018. This number could even be raised depending on how the system performs this holiday season — with games like Super Mario Odyssey and Splatoon 2 on the market, Nintendo shouldn’t have any trouble moving units. Nomura Securities analyst Junko Yamamura even predicted the Switch would surpass the Wii in total sales by 2023, though that’s a long way off.

The forecast for Nintendo was quite different just a year ago. Following the announcement of the Nintendo Switch, the company saw its share prices decline significantly, as investors worried the system was doomed to meet the same fate as the failed Wii U.

Of course, that turned out to be untrue, with Nintendo now predicting it will only take a year for the Switch to surpass the lifetime sales of its previous system. To date, the Switch has sold more than 7.5 million units, and its consistent success can be attributed to ongoing software support. In addition to Nintendo’s own games, Ubisoft released Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle in August, and today Bethesda launched a port of Doom, giving players the chance to take the acclaimed shooter with them on the go. An enhanced version of Rockstar’s L.A. Noire is also on the way, adding motion and touch functionality to the cult hit detective game.

The future, however, isn’t quite as clear. We know that new entries in the Metroid and Pokémon series are in development, but it’s unlikely they’ll be releasing anytime soon. New entries in the Kirby and Yoshi series are also in the works, and we wouldn’t be surprised if a “New Super Mario Bros.” 2D platformer hit the system in the near future. With the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers allowing for cooperative play, it seems like the perfect fit.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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