Despite the fact that launch demand appears to be off the charts, Nintendo is lowering sales projections for the Switch 2.
In its most recent earnings report, the business expected sales of 15 million Switch 2 units in its first year of sales through March 2026, which was lower than analyst expectations of 16.8 million. It did not explain the figure, although it is most likely owing to uncertainty around US tariffs and Nintendo’s reputation for caution in forecasting.
Switch 2 sales started out strong, with resellers quickly selling out, and the company warned that Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders may not arrive until after the June 5th launch. That demonstrates there is a lot of pent-up demand for the new model after the Switch’s eight-year run, although Nintendo postponed pre-orders last month due to fears about Trump’s tariffs on electronic goods. Despite its misgivings (and buyer complaints about the $450 price tag), Nintendo received 2.2 million pre-order applications in Japan alone, a figure that “far exceeds our expectations.”
Speaking to investors after the results report was issued, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furakawa stressed that the company had no control on US tariffs. Furakawa told Yahoo Japan that Nintendo’s current approach is to acknowledge taxes as a cost, but if future levies require a price hike in the United States, demand in the country may plummet. He also stated that rising daily expenses and food prices may have a detrimental impact on users’ gaming budgets. The business currently aims to sell 45 million Switch 2 titles this fiscal year.
Nintendo has sold over 150 million Switch devices to date, with 17.79 million sold in the first 13 months — thus the Switch 2 is expected to sell at a similar rate, despite conservative projections. In any event, it has to have a terrific year because sales have dropped dramatically (down 30.3 percent from last year), as one would expect with a new console on the way.
Update, May 8, 2:30pm ET: This story was modified after publication to add remarks from Nintendo president Shuntaro Furakawa on the potential impact of tariffs on Switch sales.
Step into the ultimate entertainment experience with Radiant TV! Movies, TV series, exclusive interviews, live events, music, and more—stream anytime, anywhere. Download now on various devices including iPhone, Android, smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and more!
