Nintendo is out to (super) smash some sales records this year, not just because the new Nintendo Switch Pro is gearing up for release, but also because an array of new Switch games are set to come out over the next few months.
Nintendo is expecting Nintendo Switch sales to either stay flat or surge thanks to the introduction of the OLED Nintendo Switch, which is planned to release in the latter half of 2021, according to a report from Bloomberg. Could it be the year of the Switch?
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According the Nintendo's partners and suppliers, the console won't see any decrease in sales until the end of the next fiscal year, which will be in March 2022. This comes after Nintendo sold 80 million Switch consoles by the end of 2020, and is expected to reach 100 million consoles soon, getting it closer to the Wii's 101 million sales. The PS5's current sales figures couldn't compare (of course, it hasn't been out as long).
However, Bloomberg Intelligence's Matthew Katerman suggests differently, stating that whether or not a Switch Pro arrives, Nintendo's hardware sales will probably decrease starting in April. This is due to the global semiconductor shortage that has been affecting PS5 and Xbox Series X stocks.
Games galore
If hardware sales won't cut it, Nintendo's partners and suppliers also suggest that software sales will skyrocket thanks to an array of fresh new Switch titles. The new games are expected to drive software sales to 250 million units in the next fiscal year, which is even more than the 205 million expected for the end of this fiscal year.
While many of the Nintendo Switch's biggest games are yet to get a release date, we expect Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3, Metroid Prime 4, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 to drive sales. Along with these, the open-world Pokémon title, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, is also drawing in a lot of interest. Bloomberg states the Switch will overtake the Wii as Nintendo's largest single-year software sales.
If the rumored OLED Nintendo Switch Pro does arrive toward the end of 2021, all Triple AAA titles could be waiting patiently to properly reveal themselves once the upgraded Switch model is released. Gaming in 4K resolution while causing tomfoolery in a Breath of the Wild sequel? Yes, please.
If there really are that many games coming down the line, best get cracking on with Monster Hunter Rise set to arrive this March.
