The Nintendo Switch was always going to be a game changer for the industry, but few foresaw the juggernaut it would go on to become. Such a juggernaut that Nintendo appears to be unwilling to move on. Despite that, the first hints Nintendo has been talking to partners about the Switch's successor have emerged.Talking to Nikkei, president Shuntaro Furukawa explained Nintendo wants to provide entertainment different from anyone else. A mantra it has lived by for years. However, also mentioned in the translated article is a note on Nintendo already starting conversations with partners about its next-gen hardware.Apparently it's noted in the article that whatever's coming next from Nintendo won't be here until at least late 2024. Not that far into the distance in all honesty, and probably about as soon as anyone could have expected. With 18 months or more to go, according to Nikkei, negotiations with suppliers regarding the production system for the Switch's successor have already begun.
Also noted in the article is the fact barring a huge surprise from Nintendo at some point in the next 12 months, the Switch generation will be the longest in the studio's history. That record is currently held by the NES which was Nintendo's flagship console for seven years until the SNES took its place. The Switch will actually surpass that record in July 2024, so if late 2024 is the earliest we can expect Nintendo's next console, then the Switch will have another impressive record to add to its haul.
With Nintendo estimating it will sell an additional 20 million Switches over the course of the next year, it's no wonder it's in no hurry to replace it. Hitting that number will solidify its place in the top three best-selling consoles of all time after it recently overtook the Game Boy. It also sold more units than any other console in 2022 becoming the first console ever to top that chart five years in a row.