Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Nintendo expects to sell 2 million Switch systems in its first month

Gabe Gurwin
By

nintendo switch accessories announced ces 2017 nintendoswitch hardware 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Nintendo Switch looks to deliver a gaming experience suited to both home console players and those who play on the go, but Nintendo is remarkably conservative with its initial sales estimates thus far, only expecting to sell 2 million units by the end of next March.

This would be substantially less than the Wii U, which managed to sell about 3 million units by the end of 2012.

Recommended Videos

Nintendo revealed its estimate at a fiscal earnings report attended by Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki, during which Nintendo CEO Tatsumi Kimishima also stated that there will be opportunities for prospective buyers to try out the Switch before launch and that the company doesn’t plan to sell the system at a loss — this is a strategy that Nintendo also appeared to use in 2011 with the launch of the 3DS, before it drastically cut the price after just a months on the market and provided early adopters with 20 free games as an apology.

Related

But while Nintendo’s sales projections remain more reserved than previous years’ earnings, company CEO Tatsumi Kimishima assured investors at a press conference that Nintendo would “roll out more than the 2 million Switch systems before the fiscal year ends March 31 if market demand is strong,” Venture Beat reported.

Because the company has been struggling to turn a profit, keeping manufacturing low until demand is certain can reduce supply chain costs, including storage space in warehouses for Switch units that will be rolled out to retailers post-launch. Keeping manufacturing low prior to launch could ensure a healthy, steady supply chain, and ensure that the company minimizes its losses.

Mochizuki added that Nintendo is “listening to what consumers expect from [Nintendo]” in regards to the system’s price. The Wii and Wii U both offered a less-expensive alternative to PlayStation and Xbox, and financial services group Marquarie predicts that the console will cost somewhere between $300 and $350.

Either price would be less expensive than the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One were at launch, but both consoles have gone on to receive substantial cuts in the years following. Nintendo saw its share price drop following the Switch’s announcement, with investors worried that Nintendo wasn’t doing enough to separate itself from the mobile gaming market.

Though investors haven’t been impressive with the Nintendo Switch thus far, we’re very excited about Nintendo’s next gamble. With processing power that appears to almost rival the Xbox One and the (apparent) ability to play games like Skyrim on the go, the Switch could very well be a smash hit.

Updated on 10-29-2016 by Harrison Kaminsky: This post has been updated with comments from Nintendo’s CEO that the company would manufacture more than 2 million Switch consoles for its March release, if needed.

Article originally published on 10-26-2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
It’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s subtle changes that make it special
The flagpole is knocked away in Super Mario Bros. Wonder

While I’m only partway through Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I’m already utterly in love with the game.

As our glowing review outlined, it’s a highly polished 2D platformer that’s approachable for anyone to play and elicits a joyous and vibrant sense of wonder. But for me, what makes Super Mario Bros. Wonder special aren't so much the wild Wonder effects or elephant transformations. It's the subtle touches. These elements might not be immediately noticeable or relevant to most, but they all work together to create an experience that’s a step above most other platformers.
Changes enhance enjoyment
Super Mario Bros. Wonder isn’t afraid to show that it’s different from previous Mario games through small moments and changes. One instance that illustrates this early on is in one of the first Bowser Jr. fights. It starts like all his New Super Mario Bros. boss fights do, with him getting in his shell and spinning toward Mario. At first, I was disappointed that Nintendo was just doing the same thing again, but after the first hit, that changed. Bowser Jr. activates a Wonder effect and changes in size for the following two stages of his fight. It's a moment of surprise that subverts my expectations, which are based on decades of Mario games. This is a small moment and reference that many Super Mario Bros. Wonder players probably won’t even internalize. Still, it is a smart way to show how the platformer differs from what came before.

Read more
Super Mario Bros. Wonder has some of Nintendo’s best online features
Wiggler in Super Mario Bros. Wonder

When it comes to multiplayer integration, Nintendo can be wildly unpredictable. Unstable online servers and disappointing co-op experiences built for young players can leave its games lacking. Thankfully, that's not the case with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. In fact, the new 2D adventure might just contain the best Nintendo multiplayer experience on the Switch next to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

At any point while playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder, players can bring their game online with the press of a button in the main menu. Doing so will unlock several multiplayer features at once. For one, there's traditional online multiplayer. Simply press a button to "play with friends" and you'll be able to explore both the overworld and levels co-operatively. Like the New Super Mario Bros. series, four players can work together to complete levels (which can be very hectic fun).

Read more
Super Mario Bros. Wonder didn’t need a Nintendo Switch 2 to look fantastic
Bowser terrorizes Mario and company in Super Mario Wonder.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is out now, and it’s a true Nintendo hit. Mario’s latest adventure was met with a wave of glowing reviews earlier this week, and it’s easy to see why. The 2D platformer is both a reinvention and a return to form for Nintendo’s most important franchise, bringing transformative new gameplay ideas to an age-old formula. There’s some tasty icing on that cake too: It just so happens to be one of the best-looking video games of the year.

While it's not the glitzy spectacle of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 or the photorealistic achievement that is Forza Motorsport, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a sight to behold in its own right. That’s thanks to vibrant cartoon visuals, detailed animations, and painterly backdrops that bring depth to the 2D Flower Kingdom. It’s a marvelous feat, and it was all accomplished on the same aging console that has left gamers begging for an upgrade. While that Nintendo Switch successor may be right around the corner, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a reminder that strong art direction can be just as impactful as raw power.
Looking wonderful
Just looking at out-of-context screenshots, Super Mario Bros. Wonder might not look that much different from New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. It’s only when you first boot it up that you’re drawn into a deceptively beautiful world. That’s apparent from the very first stage, as Mario stands against a sea of green and blue hills rolling in the distance. Star-shaped trees tower above him, with their simple leaves lightly blowing in the wind. The Flower Kingdom instantly feels alive in ways that even some of the biggest-budget 3D games aren’t able to accomplish.

Read more