The Nintendo Switch has had a fantastic run, and a lot of people are looking forward to the launch of its predecessor the Switch 2.
Though a lot of people are excited, there are some original Switch users who are curious about how long the company will plan to support the console. As it turns out, Nintendo isn’t planning on just leaving the players hanging.
Support for the Original Nintendo Switch
According to a recent earnings call from Sankei (via VGC), Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that even though the Switch 2 has been announced, it probably won’t have much impact on the current sales of the original Switch.
What’s more, Furukawa has confirmed that the company plans to support the original Switch for a long period of time after the launch of the Switch 2—depending on the demand of the users.
The #3 Best-Selling Game Console of All Time
Though the Nintendo Switch is already 8 years old, the device has managed to have surprising longevity so far since it launched. Over the holiday season, the original Switch was still able to sell 4.82 million units—and the console is now approaching more than 150 million units sold.
To compare, the other two consoles ahead of it are the Nintendo DS (154 million units sold) and the best-selling of all time, the PS2 (more than 160 million units sold).
It’s unclear what led to the long life of the Nintendo Switch, but it’s possible it’s because Nintendo had designed the console to appeal to more than just gamers, but traditionally non-gamer demographics as well—like the elderly.
What Do We Know about the Nintendo Switch 2?
So far, a lot of the Nintendo Switch 2 is still a mystery, and based on the teaser that was released last month, there’s only a few things that fans can be sure of. For one, the Switch 2 is definitely bigger than the original; and two, the joy-cons will not be connected to the device via a magnet—which probably won’t degrade over time like the original Switch did.
It’s also hinted that Switch 2’s joy-cons can be converted into a mouse setting, which could open the console up for some keyboard-and-mouse games. Maybe the reason the console can also lay flat is so that players can mimic a laptop setting.
But so far, this is just speculation on the fans’ part, and Nintendo is still expected to make a full showcase in April during the Nintendo Direct event.
Though the original Switch has had a great run, a lot are hoping that the Switch 2 finally ups the power on the console so they can play some more AAA-level games. They’re not expecting something as powerful as the Xbox Series X|S or PS5, but it should at least be able to match the Steam Deck.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has no official release date yet, but fans are expected to find out more about the console come Nintendo Direct 2025 which takes place on April 2.