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New Paper
6 days ago
- Business
- New Paper
Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally with shortages expected amid pent-up demand
Nintendo's Switch 2 launched on June 5 and is widely expected to be in short supply globally amid pent-up demand for the more powerful next-generation gaming device. "The level of demand seems to be sky-high," said Mr Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. The Switch launched in 2017 and followed the underperforming Wii U. The home-portable device became a juggernaut with games including two The Legend Of Zelda titles and Covid-19 pandemic breakout hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The Switch 2 bears many similarities with its predecessor but offers a larger screen and improved graphics and debuts with titles including Mario Kart World. "The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its life-cycle," said Mr Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. "Nintendo is better prepared this time around" to deal with the high demand, he said. The launch of the US$499.99 (S$643) Switch 2 is a test of Nintendo's supply chain management during United States President Donald Trump's trade war. Nintendo in May forecast sales of 15 million Switch 2 units during the current financial year. President Shuntaro Furukawa said Nintendo will strengthen production capacity to respond to strong demand and focus on sales promotion in an effort to exceed the forecast. The company, which is known for conservative forecasts, also expects to sell 4.5 million Switch units. A staff member at an electronics store in Tokyo holds a megaphone on June 5, the day Nintendo starts selling the Nintendo Switch 2 game console globally. PHOTO: REUTERS Nintendo said it received 2.2 million applications for its Switch 2 sales lottery on its official site My Nintendo Store in Japan. Pre-orders at Target sold out in less than two hours. "You are looking at weeks or months until you can walk into a store and buy a Switch 2," said Mr Toto of Kantan Games. Investor expectations for the new device are similarly lofty. Nintendo's shares are trading near highs and have gained almost 30 per cent in 2025. Concerns include whether momentum for the Switch 2 will be sustained after hardcore gamers have upgraded. "The volume of first-party games on offer at launch isn't as strong as it could be, so some more casual users may wait and see how the games available build over the next one to two years before making the leap," said Ampere's Mr Harding-Rolls. Ampere forecasts Switch 2 sales to exceed 100 million units in 2030. Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch units in total.


CNBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally with shortages expected amid pent-up demand
Nintendo's Switch 2 launched on Thursday and is widely expected to be in short supply globally amid pent-up demand for the more powerful next-generation gaming device. "The level of demand seems to be sky-high," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. The Switch launched in 2017 and followed the underperforming Wii U. The home-portable device became a juggernaut with games including two "The Legend of Zelda" titles and the Covid-19 pandemic breakout hit "Animal Crossing: New Horizons". The Switch 2 bears many similarities with its predecessor but offers a larger screen and improved graphics, and debuts with titles including "Mario Kart World". "The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its lifecycle," said Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. "Nintendo is better prepared this time around" to deal with the high demand, he said. The launch of the $499.99 Switch 2 is a test of Nintendo's supply chain management during U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. Nintendo last month forecast sales of 15 million Switch 2 units during the current financial year. President Shuntaro Furukawa said Nintendo will strengthen production capacity to respond to strong demand and focus on sales promotion in an effort to exceed the forecast. The company, which is known for conservative forecasts, also expects to sell 4.5 million Switch units. Nintendo said it received 2.2 million applications for its Switch 2 sales lottery on its My Nintendo Store in Japan. Pre-orders at Target sold out in less than two hours. "You are looking at weeks or months until you can walk into a store and buy a Switch 2," said Toto of Kantan Games. Investor expectations for the new device are similarly lofty. Nintendo's shares are trading near highs and have gained almost 30% this year. Concerns include whether momentum for the Switch 2 will be sustained after hardcore gamers have upgraded. "The volume of first-party games on offer at launch isn't as strong as it could be, so some more casual users may wait and see how the games available build over the next one to two years before making the leap," said Ampere's Harding-Rolls. Ampere forecasts Switch 2 sales to exceed 100 million units in 2030. Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch units in total.

Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally with shortages expected amid pent-up demand
Customers line up to get their hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming device at an electronics store in Tokyo on June 5. PHOTO: REUTERS TOKYO - Nintendo's Switch 2 launched on June 5 and is widely expected to be in short supply globally amid pent-up demand for the more powerful next-generation gaming device. 'The level of demand seems to be sky-high,' said Mr Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. The Switch launched in 2017 and followed the underperforming Wii U. The home-portable device became a juggernaut with games including two The Legend of Zelda titles and Covid-19 pandemic breakout hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The Switch 2 bears many similarities with its predecessor but offers a larger screen and improved graphics and debuts with titles including 'Mario Kart World'. 'The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its lifecycle,' said Mr Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. 'Nintendo is better prepared this time around' to deal with the high demand, he said. The launch of the US$499.99 (S$643) Switch 2 is a test of Nintendo's supply chain management during US President Donald Trump's trade war. Nintendo in May forecast sales of 15 million Switch 2 units during the current financial year. President Shuntaro Furukawa said Nintendo will strengthen production capacity to respond to strong demand and focus on sales promotion in an effort to exceed the forecast. The company, which is known for conservative forecasts, also expects to sell 4.5 million Switch units. A staff member holds a megaphone on the day Nintendo starts selling the Nintendo Switch 2 game console globally, at an electronics store in Tokyo on June 5. PHOTO: REUTERS Nintendo said it received 2.2 million applications for its Switch 2 sales lottery on its My Nintendo Store in Japan. Pre-orders at Target sold out in less than two hours. 'You are looking at weeks or months until you can walk into a store and buy a Switch 2,' said Mr Toto of Kantan Games. Investor expectations for the new device are similarly lofty. Nintendo's shares are trading near highs and have gained almost 30 per cent in 2025. Concerns include whether momentum for the Switch 2 will be sustained after hardcore gamers have upgraded. 'The volume of first-party games on offer at launch isn't as strong as it could be, so some more casual users may wait and see how the games available build over the next one to two years before making the leap,' said Ampere's Harding-Rolls. Ampere forecasts Switch 2 sales to exceed 100 million units in 2030. Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch units in total. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.


The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally with shortages expected amid pent-up demand
A Nintendo Switch 2 game console advertising display is seen at a Fnac Darty during a launch event as Nintendo starts selling the new consoles globally, in Paris, France June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier TOKYO (Reuters) -Nintendo's Switch 2 launched on Thursday and is widely expected to be in short supply globally amid pent-up demand for the more powerful next-generation gaming device. "The level of demand seems to be sky-high," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. The Switch launched in 2017 and followed the underperforming Wii U. The home-portable device became a juggernaut with games including two "The Legend of Zelda" titles and COVID-19 pandemic breakout hit "Animal Crossing: New Horizons". The Switch 2 bears many similarities with its predecessor but offers a larger screen and improved graphics and debuts with titles including "Mario Kart World". "The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its lifecycle," said Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. "Nintendo is better prepared this time around" to deal with the high demand, he said. The launch of the $499.99 Switch 2 is a test of Nintendo's supply chain management during U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. Nintendo last month forecast sales of 15 million Switch 2 units during the current financial year. President Shuntaro Furukawa said Nintendo will strengthen production capacity to respond to strong demand and focus on sales promotion in an effort to exceed the forecast. The company, which is known for conservative forecasts, also expects to sell 4.5 million Switch units. Nintendo said it received 2.2 million applications for its Switch 2 sales lottery on its My Nintendo Store in Japan. Pre-orders at Target sold out in less than two hours. "You are looking at weeks or months until you can walk into a store and buy a Switch 2," said Toto of Kantan Games. Investor expectations for the new device are similarly lofty. Nintendo's shares are trading near highs and have gained almost 30% this year. Concerns include whether momentum for the Switch 2 will be sustained after hardcore gamers have upgraded. "The volume of first-party games on offer at launch isn't as strong as it could be, so some more casual users may wait and see how the games available build over the next one to two years before making the leap," said Ampere's Harding-Rolls. Ampere forecasts Switch 2 sales to exceed 100 million units in 2030. Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch units in total. (Reporting by Sam Nussey and Tom Bateman; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally with shortages expected amid pent-up demand
By Sam Nussey TOKYO (Reuters) -Nintendo's Switch 2 launched on Thursday and is widely expected to be in short supply globally amid pent-up demand for the more powerful next-generation gaming device. "The level of demand seems to be sky-high," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. The Switch launched in 2017 and followed the underperforming Wii U. The home-portable device became a juggernaut with games including two "The Legend of Zelda" titles and COVID-19 pandemic breakout hit "Animal Crossing: New Horizons". The Switch 2 bears many similarities with its predecessor but offers a larger screen and improved graphics and debuts with titles including "Mario Kart World". "The much larger audience of Switch users should translate to stronger adoption in the opening part of its lifecycle," said Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. "Nintendo is better prepared this time around" to deal with the high demand, he said. The launch of the $499.99 Switch 2 is a test of Nintendo's supply chain management during U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. Nintendo last month forecast sales of 15 million Switch 2 units during the current financial year. President Shuntaro Furukawa said Nintendo will strengthen production capacity to respond to strong demand and focus on sales promotion in an effort to exceed the forecast. The company, which is known for conservative forecasts, also expects to sell 4.5 million Switch units. Nintendo said it received 2.2 million applications for its Switch 2 sales lottery on its My Nintendo Store in Japan. Pre-orders at Target sold out in less than two hours. "You are looking at weeks or months until you can walk into a store and buy a Switch 2," said Toto of Kantan Games. Investor expectations for the new device are similarly lofty. Nintendo's shares are trading near highs and have gained almost 30% this year. Concerns include whether momentum for the Switch 2 will be sustained after hardcore gamers have upgraded. "The volume of first-party games on offer at launch isn't as strong as it could be, so some more casual users may wait and see how the games available build over the next one to two years before making the leap," said Ampere's Harding-Rolls. Ampere forecasts Switch 2 sales to exceed 100 million units in 2030. Nintendo has sold 152 million Switch units in total. Sign in to access your portfolio