The Nintendo Switch, now in its eighth year on the market, is facing slowing sales as the console nears the end of its lifecycle. Nintendo has lowered its hardware forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2025 to 12.5 million units, down from a previous estimate of 13.5 million [1]. This represents a 31% year-over-year decline in Switch sales.
Software sales have also declined significantly, down 27.6% compared to the same period last year [3]. Nintendo attributes this to the lack of major new releases in the first half of the fiscal year, in contrast to the previous year which saw the launch of the highly successful The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and the Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Despite the slowdown, the Switch has still managed to sell over 146 million units lifetime, closing in on the Nintendo DS as the company's best-selling console [1]. Investors are now eagerly awaiting news on the successor to the Switch, which Nintendo has said will be announced before the end of the current fiscal year (March 2025) [2].
While the Switch is nearing the end of its lifespan, Nintendo remains optimistic about the future, with plans to unveil the next generation of Nintendo hardware in the coming year. The company will need a strong holiday season and continued support for the Switch to meet its revised forecasts, but the long-term outlook appears promising as the gaming giant prepares to introduce its next major gaming platform.
