Nintendo hints its next console could be announced closer to launch than Switch was
Nintendo has seemingly hinted that its next-gen console will be announced closer to its launch than was the case with the Switch.
The company’s current-gen console was announced under the development codename “NX” in March 2015 – a full two years before its eventual launch as Nintendo Switch.
At the time, it was unclear whether the system would be a home console or handheld gaming device, and then-president Satoru Iwata told fans they’d have to wait until the following year for further details.
Nintendo would go on to announce a March 2017 launch window for NX in April 2016, before finally revealing the hybrid console and officially naming it that October.
During Nintendo’s full-year earnings call on Tuesday, the company was asked whether the two-year gap between the announcement and launch of the console was effective from a marketing standpoint, and whether it envisioned a similar timeline for future hardware.
“This announcement coincided with our partnership with DeNA Co., Ltd. for the development of games for smart phones and support for the new Nintendo Account system,” president Shuntaro Furukawa responded (translated by VGC contributor Robert Sephazon).
“At that time, as we were venturing into the mobile business, we felt it was important to reassure our audience that Nintendo’s primary focus remained on our dedicated game console business. This is why the timing of the Nintendo Switch announcement was a unique situation.
“Moving forward, our strategy is to disclose information about our products, including both hardware and software, at the most suitable times to reach our broad customer base.”
On Tuesday, Nintendo reported a slowdown in Switch console sales and suggested no new hardware will launch before April 2024,
Read more on videogameschronicle.com
