Nintendo to significantly ramp up Switch production in 2018

[Shawn Knight]

Nintendo’s Switch console could be a bit easier to find next year. That’s because the Japanese gaming giant is currently working on a plan to significantly increase production of the system.

Sources familiar with the matter tell The Wall Street Journal that Nintendo aims to churn out as many as 30 million units during the next fiscal year which starts in April. Although Nintendo has already informed business partners of its decision, the plan is still in an early stage.

Depending on how sales go this holiday season, Nintendo could aim even higher, the people said.

The Switch launched in March to a warm reception thanks in part to at least one hit title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Over a seven-month period, Nintendo sold 7.63 million systems and plans to sell 9.1 million more by the console’s one-year anniversary. The recent launch of Super Mario Odyssey will certainly help Nintendo's efforts heading into the holiday season.

Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima said during the company’s recent earnings call that they have increased Switch shipment projections for the fiscal year from 10 million units to 14 million units.

Sales figures to this point likely would have been even higher had inventory shortages not occurred. It’s impressive considering many expected the Switch to struggle in a market with more powerful consoles from Microsoft and Sony and smartphones that have dominated the mobile gaming landscape.

If interest persists, it’s plausible that the Switch could one day outsell the original Wii, the company’s most popular home console to date with more than 100 million units shipped.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71833-nintendo-significantly-ramp-up-switch-production-2018.html

 

[McMurdeR]

If they bring out a revised model with a better battery life and a cheaper RRP I might even get one myself

 

[Evernessince]

If they bring out a revised model with a better battery life and a cheaper RRP I might even get one myself

Yeah, it's current price for a gaming only portable is way too much. Especially when you consider the price of games are that of console games and the controllers are insanely pricey.

 

[Vulcanproject]

If they bring out a revised model with a better battery life and a cheaper RRP I might even get one myself

I was surprised that they just used a 20nm Tegra when AMD had already been whacking 14nm parts into PS4 and Xbox One for months before Switch launched. Different fabs of course but still.

On the plus side if they can squish it down to a more modern process next year but keep the battery size the same, they could massively improve that battery life.

A few more megahertz wouldn't hurt either if it meant games ran a bit faster and didn't break the existing titles....

 

[psycros]

Couldn't handle a system with two different controller layouts.

 

[oldikes]

Its worth noting that with most games that are less demanding in scale, battery is better than zelda (4-5 hours vs 3 it seems).

Battery cases that double battery life also exist if you arent planning on docking it much.

Ive used this a bit at work and I plan on getting one soon. Im amazed how good some of it looks while docked, and even more amazed how good the content can look on a 720p screen (within reason obviously). But something feels very wholesome about this console becoming madly popular based on the quality of its games instead of on how many pixels it can throw out.

 

[texasrattler]

People have trouble finding the Switch LOL ... I see it all the time in Best Buy. They constantly getting stock every few weeks.

 

[Jamlad]

People have trouble finding the Switch LOL ... I see it all the time in Best Buy. They constantly getting stock every few weeks.

I don't get it either. So what? You have to wait a few weeks for Amazon to fulfill your order? Jesus, hasn't anybody ever practiced delayed gratification?

 

[senketsu]

People have trouble finding the Switch LOL ... I see it all the time in Best Buy. They constantly getting stock every few weeks.

I don't get it either. So what? You have to wait a few weeks for Amazon to fulfill your order? Jesus, hasn't anybody ever practiced delayed gratification?

No, it is worth camping out in line for a week to get it even a minute before someone else. Especially when I can pull it out of the box and drop it on the pavement in my haste to get my sweaty hands on it and show it off.

 

[dj2017]

Switch proved that Nintendo's name and games, are way above the necessity for good hardware specs.

 

[JaymondoGB]

Great machine, but the price of the games needs lots of work. We only have two games, and we had the thing from release date.

 

[Jamlad]

Great machine, but the price of the games needs lots of work. We only have two games, and we had the thing from release date.

Yeah, I have three. BotW, Splatoon, and MK. BotW is the only one I invested any significant amount of time into. And when I look at the eShop I see games (Doom, Shovel Knight) I already have on PC from half the price.