Analyst Predicts Nintendo Switch 2 Sales Unaffected by Launch Price

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Summary

  • One video game industry analyst doesn’t believe launch pricing will matter much in terms of how well the Switch 2 will sell.
  • Circana’s Mat Piscatella believes the console will sell well “as long as the launch price isn’t some egregious amount.”
  • More information about the Switch 2 will be revealed during a Nintendo Direct on April 2.

According to a video game industry analyst, the initial price of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is unlikely to significantly impact its sales figures. Historically, Nintendo consoles such as the original Switch and Wii have been priced lower than their competitors from Xbox and Sony. However, since there’s no official pricing information available yet, fans are left guessing whether this trend will continue. Despite the uncertainty, one industry expert predicts that cost may not be a major factor in determining the success of the Nintendo Switch 2 at its launch.

On January 16, Nintendo officially revealed details about its upcoming console, addressing many speculations that had circulated prior to the reveal. Quickly after, the trailer for the Switch 2 garnered more views than the PS5’s announcement video, demonstrating high levels of anticipation among fans. However, despite this excitement, some important questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the console’s price.

According to Mat Piscatella, Executive Director of Games at research firm Circana, he thinks that the price at which the Switch 2 will be launched won’t significantly impact its sales success. This is because Nintendo fans who typically purchase their hardware early are generally not overly concerned about prices. As a result, Piscatella expects the console to sell well, provided its launch price isn’t exorbitantly high. It appears that Nintendo shares this optimism, as preliminary data from supply chains suggests they plan to sell more than 20 million units of the Switch 2 in the year 2025.

The Switch 2 May Sell Well but Fall Short of the Original Switch

In an interview, Piscatella expressed a somewhat less enthusiastic outlook than Nintendo regarding the potential sales of their upcoming console, yet he remains optimistic about strong initial year performance. He forecasted that the Switch 2 could sell between 14 and 17 million units globally by 2025. While it would be challenging for the new console to surpass the original Switch’s success, even with significant performance enhancements, given that the original Switch became the best-selling console of all time in the U.S. in late 2024, dethroning the PlayStation 2 after years in the top spot. This means there’s plenty of room for the Switch 2 to achieve impressive sales figures but still not surpass its predecessor in terms of total units sold.

A research firm called DFC Intelligence had earlier anticipated that the Switch 2 would lead the upcoming console generation, and interestingly, they didn’t highlight price as a key factor in their prediction. This suggests that analysts expect strong sales for the Switch 2 due to its early release and enthusiastic fanbase, regardless of its cost. We’ll have to wait until the April 2 Direct to find out the official price, when Nintendo plans to disclose more details about the Switch 2.

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2025-01-20 20:56