Latest news with #KantanGames
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Switch 2 launch could be "significantly bigger" than the OG Switch's, but only if Nintendo can keep up: "When in history [...] did a launch for a popular new console go smoothly?"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We're fast approaching the launch of the Switch 2, and despite cries to "drop the price," pre-orders have been selling out around the world. Some analysts are already expecting a "significantly bigger" launch than what we saw with the OG Switch, but it all hinges on one key factor: supply. Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Japan games industry consultancy Kantan Games, is one analyst who's expecting a "significantly" larger release for the console compared to the Switch 1. Speaking to GamesRadar+, he says that "the initial momentum for Switch 2 vs 1 is like night and day," pointing out that in 2017, Nintendo had "just suffered from the massive failure with the Wii U," meaning that "not too many people took the Switch seriously." With the Switch 2, he expects the console "will be not only sold out at launch (a banality) but also hard to get for weeks or perhaps even months after." He adds: "Sorry, but we as an industry have seen so many console launches now: When in the history of the video gaming business did a launch for a popular new console go smoothly?" He continues: "I hope I am wrong and I understand Nintendo will try their best, but I would be very surprised if you can just walk into a store and buy a Switch 2 before late summer at the earliest." This sentiment is echoed by David Cole, CEO of research and consulting firm DFC Intelligence. He tells us that "the main issue is whether Nintendo can meet initial demand, and then continue to have enough units available this fall and into the holiday season," noting that "supply shortages could be a major issue in coming months." Games industry researcher Joost van Dreunen, who writes the SuperJoost Playlist and teaches at NYU Stern School of Business, also believes that "acquiring a Switch 2 at launch will likely be challenging." He adds: "I anticipate stock shortages to persist through the holiday season and potentially into Q1 2026. The current global trade situation and tariff uncertainties have likely prompted Nintendo to be even more cautious with their manufacturing and distribution strategies." Mat Piscatella, games industry analyst at Circana, reiterates "the success of the launch will depend on how many units will be available," noting: "Demand will likely be there globally, but that doesn't mean the units necessarily will be." If Nintendo is able to supply enough consoles, "I don't see why the launch of Switch 2 should not be bigger than the original Switch," he explains. The console's price and announced Nintendo Switch 2 launch games apparently don't matter too much in the immediate future, either, as he suggests: "Pricing and available games becomes much more important once we get outside the launch window, and we move away from the price insensitive Nintendo hyper-enthusiast day-one buyers more towards general gaming enthusiasts." Nintendo has predicted that it'll sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles in its first year, as well as 45 million games, but has already indicated that the demand for the device has exceeded its expectations. Let's just hope everyone who really wants one doesn't have to wait too long at the console's release. Keeping up with all the Nintendo Switch 2 news? Be sure to check out our roundup of upcoming Switch 2 games, too.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Switch 2 launch could be "significantly bigger" than the OG Switch's, but only if Nintendo can keep up: "When in history [...] did a launch for a popular new console go smoothly?"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We're fast approaching the launch of the Switch 2, and despite cries to "drop the price," pre-orders have been selling out around the world. Some analysts are already expecting a "significantly bigger" launch than what we saw with the OG Switch, but it all hinges on one key factor: supply. Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Japan games industry consultancy Kantan Games, is one analyst who's expecting a "significantly" larger release for the console compared to the Switch 1. Speaking to GamesRadar+, he says that "the initial momentum for Switch 2 vs 1 is like night and day," pointing out that in 2017, Nintendo had "just suffered from the massive failure with the Wii U," meaning that "not too many people took the Switch seriously." With the Switch 2, he expects the console "will be not only sold out at launch (a banality) but also hard to get for weeks or perhaps even months after." He adds: "Sorry, but we as an industry have seen so many console launches now: When in the history of the video gaming business did a launch for a popular new console go smoothly?" He continues: "I hope I am wrong and I understand Nintendo will try their best, but I would be very surprised if you can just walk into a store and buy a Switch 2 before late summer at the earliest." This sentiment is echoed by David Cole, CEO of research and consulting firm DFC Intelligence. He tells us that "the main issue is whether Nintendo can meet initial demand, and then continue to have enough units available this fall and into the holiday season," noting that "supply shortages could be a major issue in coming months." Games industry researcher Joost van Dreunen, who writes the SuperJoost Playlist and teaches at NYU Stern School of Business, also believes that "acquiring a Switch 2 at launch will likely be challenging." He adds: "I anticipate stock shortages to persist through the holiday season and potentially into Q1 2026. The current global trade situation and tariff uncertainties have likely prompted Nintendo to be even more cautious with their manufacturing and distribution strategies." Mat Piscatella, games industry analyst at Circana, reiterates "the success of the launch will depend on how many units will be available," noting: "Demand will likely be there globally, but that doesn't mean the units necessarily will be." If Nintendo is able to supply enough consoles, "I don't see why the launch of Switch 2 should not be bigger than the original Switch," he explains. The console's price and announced Nintendo Switch 2 launch games apparently don't matter too much in the immediate future, either, as he suggests: "Pricing and available games becomes much more important once we get outside the launch window, and we move away from the price insensitive Nintendo hyper-enthusiast day-one buyers more towards general gaming enthusiasts." Nintendo has predicted that it'll sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles in its first year, as well as 45 million games, but has already indicated that the demand for the device has exceeded its expectations. Let's just hope everyone who really wants one doesn't have to wait too long at the console's release. Keeping up with all the Nintendo Switch 2 news? Be sure to check out our roundup of upcoming Switch 2 games, too.
CNA
08-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Nintendo sees Switch 2 sales of 15 million units, profit rising 13% this year
TOKYO :Nintendo on Thursday said it expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 units and for operating profit to rise 13 per cent to 320 billion yen ($2.22 billion) in the year ending March. Nintendo is preparing for the Switch 2's June 5 launch, which will test its ability to manage supply chains to minimise disruption from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. The gaming device is the successor to the Switch, which has sold more than 150 million units since its 2017 launch and transformed Nintendo's fortunes after the Wii U flopped. "Nintendo clearly wants to play it safe and chose what is a cautious but probably reasonable forecast," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. The company is known for its conservative forecasts. Toto sees Switch 2 sales at closer to 20 million units. Nintendo paused the start of U.S. pre-orders as it considered the impact of increasing U.S. tariffs. It later said it would maintain pricing at $449.99. "If additional tariffs are imposed in the future and we adjust the price, we may see a decrease in demand," Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa told an earnings briefing. Nintendo sees a hit to profits in the tens of billions of yen from the tariffs and will adjust forecasts if the situation changes, he said. While Nintendo has opened stores and its characters feature in theme parks and film, it remains dependent on the console business. For the year ended March, operating profit fell 46.6 per cent to 282.5 billion yen. Nintendo sees Switch 2 software sales of 45 million units in the current financial year. The hybrid home-portable device will launch with titles including "Mario Kart World". Over the same period, the company expects to sell 4.5 million units of the aging Switch and 105 million software units for that system. There are signs of robust demand for the more powerful gaming device, which offers a bigger screen and better graphics than its predecessor. Xbox maker Microsoft and PlayStation maker Sony have both hiked console prices in recent weeks. ($1 = 144.1900 yen)
Business Recorder
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Nintendo's robust lottery applications indicate pent-up Switch 2 demand
TOKYO: Nintendo said on Wednesday it has received 2.2 million applications in the lottery for its Switch 2 gaming device in Japan but cannot fulfil all the demand, indicating significant consumer enthusiasm for the more powerful gaming device. There were far more applications on the My Nintendo Store than expected and the amount that can be delivered on June 5 has been greatly exceeded, Nintendo said in a social media post. Shares jumped 5% in Tokyo on Thursday. 'The number is way beyond expectations,' said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. Nintendo ends online sales of games in Russia 'It not only indicates Switch 2 will be sold out at launch but also the device is likely going to be hard to get for months after.' The launch of the successor to Nintendo's popular Switch gaming device will test the company's ability to manage its supply chain. Nintendo is preparing to sell the device amid a trade war between China and the U.S. and had paused the start of pre-orders in the United States before announcing it would maintain pricing at $449.99. 'Nintendo is ramping up production but initial supply will lag far behind demand,' Jefferies analyst Atul Goyal said in a client note. The Switch 2's predecessor sold 2.7 million units globally in its launch month in 2017 and has gone on to sell more than 150 million units. It is 'shaping up to be another record-breaking hardware cycle. Perhaps an unprecedented super-cycle,' Goyal wrote. Nintendo made roughly a fifth of its sales in the year ended March 2024 in Japan, where the company enjoys a family-friendly reputation and began as a maker of playing cards. The new device, which offers a bigger screen and better graphics, retails for 49,980 yen ($349.19) for a Japanese language system or 69,980 yen for a multi-language version.
Asahi Shimbun
24-04-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Nintendo's robust lottery applications indicate pent-up Switch 2 demand
The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5. ((C) Nintendo) Nintendo said on Wednesday it has received 2.2 million applications in the lottery for its Switch 2 gaming device in Japan but cannot fulfil all the demand, indicating significant consumer enthusiasm for the more powerful gaming device. There were far more applications on the My Nintendo Store than expected and the amount that can be delivered on June 5 has been greatly exceeded, Nintendo said in a social media post. Shares jumped 5% in Tokyo on Thursday. "The number is way beyond expectations," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. "It not only indicates Switch 2 will be sold out at launch but also the device is likely going to be hard to get for months after." The launch of the successor to Nintendo's popular Switch gaming device will test the company's ability to manage its supply chain. Nintendo is preparing to sell the device amid a trade war between China and the U.S. and had paused the start of pre-orders in the United States before announcing it would maintain pricing at $449.99. "Nintendo is ramping up production but initial supply will lag far behind demand," Jefferies analyst Atul Goyal said in a client note. The Switch 2's predecessor sold 2.7 million units globally in its launch month in 2017 and has gone on to sell more than 150 million units. It is "shaping up to be another record-breaking hardware cycle. Perhaps an unprecedented super-cycle," Goyal wrote. Nintendo made roughly a fifth of its sales in the year ended March 2024 in Japan, where the company enjoys a family-friendly reputation and began as a maker of playing cards. The new device, which offers a bigger screen and better graphics, retails for 49,980 yen ($349.19) for a Japanese language system or 69,980 yen for a multi-language version.
