Switch Will Have A Longer Life Cycle Than Previous Consoles, Says Nintendo President

"than previous Nintendo consoles."

Well the Wii U had 4yrs, so it's practically mission accomplished already.

Well...
If Nintendo can maintain the 3rd party support by providing more affordable cartridge cost especially the 32 GB or possibly 64 GB, fixing the relationship with controversial publisher like EA, keep upgrading their machines as the year goes by, we can see Switch will keep running on business until more than 10 years (11 - 15 years)

I love my switch but I don’t see it lasting longer than previous consoles. If the Switch had a longer battery life and was more powerful graphically it might could do it.

This doesn't mean that there wont be another console that exists at the same time as the switch. If, like the other next gen consoles, backwards compatibloty is a thing then the switch can have 10 year lifespan that is backwards and somewhat forwards compatible while there also is another console that exists at the same time. Forwards compatibloty hasn't been a thing in the console sphere, but Microsoft is experimenting with itm no reason to assume Nintendo is totally against it

Also, consoles or handheld consoles? Those things have a slightly longer support

Good stuff and I can see it.

With them iterating on GPU and Battery already I'm sure they will again and keep the "Switch" going for a long time even if it technically might be a higher spec version that's a lot different at several years later.

This is what I was hoping for, make sure they just keep that eShop tied to whatever they release and I'm happy

I agree with him, focus on the games

I mean I would truly be happy with awesome new games from Nintendo, along with cherished ports and remakes. Being “new”and the best isn’t always the answer. Take your time big N. I’m sure switch will have some really great A+ games for the next 3/4 years

I myself wouldn't mind different levels of Switch unit to get the full market share.
1. Lite
2. Standard Switch
3. More power CPU/GPU Switch can switch(pun) from 720/1080p portable and 1080p Docked running stable 60fps.

All still backward compatible but hopefully increased storage on the high Switch model or options to increase it's modular Storage from 32gb to higher capacity.

I find it perfect that they only focus on games for now. They'll think about new hardware in a few years, when the time comes. Right now Switch is on fire, don't let the smoke dissipate and bring on games.

The absence of true handheld out side of the Switch Lite allows them more resources to focus on software, accessories and small upgrades. The transition to 64Gb game cards is crucial as this allows for larger and more graphically challenging games. I have heard rumors of some interesting dock changes and peripherals coming. It should be a fun time.

Totally fine with this. If I wanted state of the art graphics I would choose PS#, but I don't care much, the Switch games look pretty enough.

Switch 2 in 2022, Nintendo has to do something once the next gen has been out for a good while or they will fall behind majorly.

Too bad selling older software will be through digital only. I hope they will make a second batch of physical carts for best selling games

If the focus lies currently at software development, bring on that direct already!...

I want to know what’s in the pipeline after AC.

@RickD
Possibly the pivoting point is here but the Switch has become my favorite console so far and I have had almost all of the. It replaced my DS as my go to handheld. The software will be key as always but I think actual consoles will always be in the market at least near term.

@RickD The lines between PC and Console are basically blurred now already, and with next gen even more so. Nintendo has a unique brand with the Switch and should keep on that direction.

Focusing on the software is key to mitigating any impact the PS5 and XSX will have. Having been away from Nintendo since the Gamecube, I wouldn't mind seeing some of the older games, especially from the Wii U, being ported over to the Switch, with games like Mario 3D, Paper Mario and Mario RPG.

Well I certainly hope so, as I didn't get a long time to enjoy my Wii U!

Have heard that last bit about releasing new games while supporting existing games so many times now...

Nintendo, SHOW ME THE MONEY!

I want a new game every month. I want a Direct every 3 months minimum.

If I was an investor I'd be blowing my top. You've merged divisions, you've left the 3DS behind, you have one platform to throw everything at. Where are the games!?!?
Where is the next Mario Kart 8D DLC?
What has Retro been doing for about 10 ****ing years with barely a cough?
Where is Pikmin 4?
Where is the next Mario 3D title? Galaxy HD? Galaxy 3? Odyssey 2/DLC?
Why aren't you expanding your Switch IP portfolio?

LABO and Ring Fit were worthy additions. But there should be so much more by now, surely?

Moving to an ARM-based architecture will bear a lot of fruit. They’ll update the internals with better CPU, GPU and memory with hardware refreshes every 2-4 years. I think we’ll be seeing the Switch name outlast the GameBoy and DS.

@Xansies The article is about how they don't plan on releasing a new console for a while. Interesting how you speculate about a new console.

@gcunit Agreed, I want more games too.

I'm fine with a long life-cycle. I remember playing Wii forever. The Wii seemed absolutely ancient by the time Wii U came out, but I still play my Wii to this day.

Switch 2017 (DS)
Switch Revision and Light 2019 (DS Lite)
Switch Pro 2021-2022 (DSi)
Switch 2 2023-2024 (3DS)
Switch 2 Pro 2026-2027 (N3DS)
New console 2029
I'd be down for something like this

Give us a pro model to keep up with more demanding games, and I'm all in for it

People forget Tech innovations moves on. And so does Nintendo if we go by lines people said so far then you should stay with Wii or dreaded WiiU or stay with 3DS XL games only. When new Tech comes you either embrace and incorporate it to improve your chances to survive or die doing nothing. I doubt Nintendo is just say oh let's just keep at Tech level of v2 Switch. Maybe xbox/psx will not take out market share. Yea if your that camp it most likely are Trolls or NintenDoomed naysayers. Nintendo is about Innovations and thinking outside of xbox/psx inbox to bring more different age group of gamers inside to their camp and the Switch is doing that and to keep them Innovations and Tech Upgrade will occur not it will not. I predictate they already have a v3 or newer Switch in development why not that is what you do to insure your survival. Anyone not thinking this is just plain stupid and stone age thinking. And they don't have to follow any 5 year term limit to bringing it out since Tech move faster then you think. Just example Smart phone the moment you bought yours it's outdated less then 6 months later.

@SpacedDuck What are you talking about?
scrolls back and sees the eyecatcher photo
Ooooh lol

It’s the evergreen model. If Nintendo can sell the same game for a decade, they will. As long as the hardware hasn’t stalled they can keep the R&D low and slow which also contributes to their hardware profitability

@jamesthemagi This was my thought too - Switch will have a family of hardware, with revisions becoming available in the same vein as as the DS as you described.

The thing is that they are not saying the OG Switch but just the Switch in general. So I see it being expanded on to be more powerful in the coming year. Nintendo recently said that they would not be releasing another Switch model in 2020. They didn’t say that wouldn’t be revealing a new model though!!!

Dont expect Switch 2 anytime soon.

@westman98 i expect switch 2 be around 2023 or 2024 at least.

I'm down for longer life cycles. Quality software is more important to me than machine power anyway. Besides, the Switch has proven that it has a heck of an audience so far!

I agree, because Switch will be the best handheld for a few more years. Power is irrelevant as Switch still have decent power.
Games like Mario Kart 8, Luigi's Mansion 3 etc. looks goregous on big TV's.
Switch have no competition and sure ain't outdated in it's own market.

People expecting more powerful Switch within a year.. If you care about a tiny 25% upgrade.

If you want proper upgrade like Snapdragon etc. on 1000-1500$ phones expensive phones, it takes years before the price is low enough to sell a Switch for 300 bucks with that power.

Just look at how much a cell phone costs today with 1.5-2 times more power than Switch. Reality check please.

1500$ phones won't steal Switch market for 3 reasons.

1.) The 1500$ price tag
2.) Lack of killer AAA games on phones.
3.) Touch controls only on 99% of games.

Let's not forget that they launched a weaker Switch in 2019...Lite.

@jarvismp i dont think switch pro is happening anytime soon since nintendo is not dumb enough to screw its customers by making different models of high specs systems like sony and microsoft always do i rather them save any spec upgrades for switch 2.

I want Switch Donkey Kong banana edition

As expected, the DS lived 9 years and since Nintendo had merged both the Home Console market and Handheld in one then the Switch could easily live 15 years

It makes sense ,but do think they should make newer versions with more powerful hardware in the next two years

No matter how long it goes though Nintendo really needs to stopped resetting themselve every time they start a new gen meaning stop making people buy the same crap all over again digitally, this applies to things that could easily been transfer to next gen like Virtual Console games, retro games, digital indie titles, etc.

@RiasGremory Xbox One X were 4 times as fast as the original one, and ran the same games. Not a big problem.

Switch is in exact same position if a Switch Pro came.

But they will lose all third party support when next gen comes out. How is this a good thing.

So long as we get a Switch Pro upgrade during the generation, then I’m ok with that.

@RickD doubt it, if no more consoles are made then where is people gonna play on? PC? Pftt

@Fujin not neccesarily developers will just release more PS3/Xbox 360 and PS4 ports

@MuhBael yes, but won't consumers want next gen ports than old ones.

Gotta keep innovating before Sony creates a Switch-like device (like the one Alienware just previewed).

Come to think of it 3ds is like ten years old and it was selling so well even with ps4 and xbox one at the same time. So it this might be like 3ds again. More games and more games just like 3ds.

They won't make a switch plus as it will seperate the users, more graphic demanding games will come out for the switch plus but not the standard switch

And we all saw how that worked out for the "new" 3ds which had one exclusive game (xenoblade chronicles)

This is very, very good to hear, very good. I want to invest in this console – and have those games available for a long time to come.

Also in the past, developers 'mastered' the consoles many years after initial release. This is why we saw games like Yoshi's Island and Star-Fox on the SNES.

These days companies like Apple and Google (and to a slightly lesser extent Sony and Microsoft) are training us to move on before we've had a chance to experience what our current device is capable of.

Nintendo are going against this unhealthy trend.

This is a huge mistake.

The Switch will find itself in the same position as the Wii did, after the release of PS5 and XBox XSX whatever it’s called.

Embarrassingly underpowered with a gimmick that’s lost its novelty, no serious 3rd party support and a handful of first party games that everyone wished were running on better hardware.

Stupid.

Must say I’m getting sick to death of Nintendo sidelining what customers want and deserve for flagrant profiteering. We made you, Nintendo. Don’t forget that.

@YozenFroghurt You're right come to think of it. Handhelds can't run games from ps5 or xbox series x. Mobile technology is not strong as that yet. I guess ps4 and ps3 ports are as good because of the portability factor. It's still impressive that a handheld can run a good amount of 8th gen ports.

@HappyMaskedGuy I want a switch upgrade too but the 3ds did fine being weaker and did not die out for so many years. Even switch pro would not have a A 12 tereflop gpu that is in an xbox series x . Nintendo never makes expensive hardware but make hardware that is targeted to all ages and is always affordable.

I think they'll release a pro version of the switch that is still compatible with all of the games. It could have a little more processing power and battery life but the games still run on both versions. Similar to PS4 pro.

@Fujin
3DS was not Nintendo’s flagship console. Also, Gamecube and N64 did not follow the philosophy of ‘affordability’, and I strongly argue that those two consoles did far more for gamers than Wii, Wii U, and Switch combined.

I don’t want visually compromised Mario and Zelda games. Neither should you. Imagine BOTW on PS4 architecture, and tell me you’d prefer to save £50 on the console price.

@Optimist80 But a lot of ps4 games can't be ported to switch because of the graphics demand. How will it work with a switch pro to the old switch.

The only thing I still would of wanted on the Switch was a DS/3DS card slot.

@HappyMaskedGuy Aren't handhelds more important for nintendo than consoles.

Good point. Maybe something like the "new 3ds" that was required for some of the SNES game? I just think they're going to have a rough time with third party support once the new consoles arrive. If a PS4 game is hard to port, a PS5 game isn't going to be easier.

I do hope they are in talks with former 3ds devs. The library kept that system afloat past its prime and pulling more small scale, unique games (not just indies even though they have some gems) will give the system legs to stand against the new twins.

Other than that I’m happy with the Switch. Still want a 3ds player though.

@Optimist80 I wonder if nintendo can keep momentum with all it's success if it relies on install base and it's portability.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t like to replace things, and I think Switch doesn’t need to compete with the other guys. But at some point people are going to want more from just Nintendo games than what they are now. Handheld tech evolves faster than it did in the past. You can’t limit your mindset like that. I don’t think it’s a death of Nintendo. However, with this logic, our phones are going to play better games.

"we feel we can have a very different (longer) hardware life cycle than previous Nintendo consoles"

So longer than 3DS? That sounds a bit too optimistic to me

@BlueOcean lol yea. 3ds is like ten years now.

@Fujin Interesting question. In terms of sheer profits? Possibly. But their home consoles have traditionally carried more weight in terms of gaming kudos. The NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube weren’t that long ago, in the grand scheme.

Then again, I argue with myself, because I love the Switch. I just lament it not being much more powerful.

3DS is still running.....and GB will be a hard life cycle to top.....

@Anti-Matter The publishers would always go with the cheapest possible cartridges no matter how much they drop the prices. Mortal Kombat 11 proves this.

@NEStalgia @Fujin 3DS tells a beautiful story: difficult launch, smartphones war survival and resilience. I don't think that Switch will enjoy a longer life cycle but more like Wii, especially considering its lack of power @HappyMaskedGuy and that the next generation starts later this year!

It's really exciting to see what is next for nintendo after the switch. I guess next year we will have better information on it. I still like to speculate though.

@NEStalgia Still running is a touch disingenuous. Technically the NES is still running, if you mean receiving new software.

3DS is all but officially dead as a dodo.

@HappyMaskedGuy But it was "alive" until 2019 when it received games such as Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Story and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn.

The correct choice is to follow the 3DS path with a family of systems sharing a library of games and offering different features.

We have the budget model in the Lite, so let's get the premium model in the Pro! Metal body, larger glass screen, second SD card slot, and enough power to comfortably run 1080p for all games in handheld or docked mode. Throw in at least 4-5 hours battery life and I'll happily drop 400 dollars on that!

Just DO NOT drop the hybrid functionality!

@HappyMaskedGuy It's still in production. Unlike NES. Unlike Vita...

Long live the Switch. I just wish we had the option to put our game save data onto memory cards or flash drives instead of it being locked into the system or pay to have it uploaded to a "Cloud" bank. The only thing that irks me about this system.

Loving my Switch. I do not understand why people are asking for a much stronger Switch just to support 3rd party games that will release on the PS5. Keep dreaming. The Switch can't even compete with the PS4. People want something like a nuclear reactor in their pocket just to power their device. I love the Switch just for what it is. I love the games on it. I love something simple like turning the device to sleep so i can play it later. I like all the indie support. Love that it's portable. Love the Nintendo games . And so do my kids. For all the "other" games i have a PS4.

I'm sure Nintendo will come out with different hardware, or peripherals to assist the current models, such as a dock that does a little more, than the current dock. Some things along those lines.

@Jokerwolf Do you still believe that? I don't think Nintendo is going to release a Switch 2 anytime soon.

@Dog Nintendo has literally lied about the lifespan of every single system that I can remember. There is a new switch coming I don't know if it's a full generational leap but it's going to be a lot more powerful, my guess is backwards compatible. Though Switch 2 isn't 100% off the table. Also it is no coincidence BotW 2 was pushed to 2023, the exact same thing happened on the Wii U when they held it back to be cross generation.