As the Nintendo Switch nears its sixth birthday in March 2023, the company is set to increase production of the console, according to a report from Bloomberg. This odd move so late in a console’s lifecycle is due to confidence that demand will stay strong and component shortages won’t affect production, according to people familiar with the matter.
Increased Nintendo Switch production also goes against analyst expectations for sales of the console to decrease, as the public speculate about next-generation hardware, according to Kenji Fukuyama, an analyst at UBS Securities. A Nintendo spokesman declined to comment.
Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Toyo Securities, suggested that special edition consoles could help push sales of the console in its sixth year, with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s release date later this year presenting a good opportunity for unique hardware.
We’ll have to wait and see if increased Nintendo Switch production is met by demand, however. Considering the success of Breath of the Wild at the console’s launch – and the possibility of any other surprises coming this year – it wouldn’t be the biggest shock for the console to exceed expectations.
Still, if Nintendo’s supposed targets are met this fiscal year and the next, the console would pass the 150 million mark in terms of lifetime sales. Only two other consoles have done this to date – the Sony PlayStation 2 at 155 million, and the Nintendo DS at 154 million.
Well, all I know is that if increased Nintendo Switch production leads to a limited edition Zelda-themed console, I’ll spend my May much poorer than expected. For more, check out our The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom pre-order guide to get ready for the big day.
