Nintendo launches Switch 2, its first console in 8 years

ISTANBUL

Gamers and fans queued at stores on Thursday morning as Nintendo launched the highly anticipated Switch 2, its first console in eight years.

The Japanese video game company aims to sell 15 million units of the new device worldwide until March 2026, which debuts with premium titles such as Mario Kart World.

The Switch 2 follows the original Switch, which came out in March 2017. The new model is priced at 49,980 yen (about $350) for the Japanese-exclusive version, while the multilanguage version costs 69,980 yen (about $450).

Switch 2 offers a bigger screen, better graphics and upgraded controllers, and also includes screen sharing and voice chat via a built-in microphone.

Reflecting the strong interest, the company announced in May that it expects a 63.1% year-over-year revenue increase in fiscal year 2025, reaching 1.9 trillion yen (about $13 billion).

Nintendo’s President Shuntaro Furukawa said production of Switch 2 will be ramped up to meet the high demand.

While the original Switch has sold over 150 million units and ranks among Nintendo’s most successful consoles, its sales have declined recently after peaking at 28.8 million units in fiscal 2020 due to aging hardware.