Nintendo’s president reportedly describes its next-gen console as ‘Switch next model’

Nintendo has given the strongest indication yet that its next-generation console won’t stray too far from the existing Switch hardware.

In a message released to coincide with the publication of the company’s financial results on Tuesday, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed plans to announce “the successor to Nintendo Switch” during its current fiscal year ending in March 2025.

And during Nintendo’s earnings call, Furukawa was reportedly asked if the next-gen console is something brand new. “Switch next model is the appropriate way to describe it,” he replied, according to David Gibson, senior research analyst at MST Financial.

In the results call when asked if the next gen console was brand new or … Furukawa answered “Switch next model is the appropriate way to describe it” 🙂 #NintendoSwitch #NintendoSwitch2 https://t.co/ytF4oh0fN0

— David Gibson (@gibbogame) May 7, 2024

While official word on the concept for the console may still be some months away, a series of leaks have previously suggested it will represent an evolution of the Switch rather than a revolution in design terms.

After development kits for Nintendo’s next console were provided to key partner studios, VGC sources claimed last summer that Switch 2 would be another hybrid system that can be connected to a TV or played as a handheld.

It was also recently claimed that Switch 2 will continue to have Joy-Con controllers, but that they’ll be larger than the current console’s and will use magnetic suction to connect to it rather the existing sliding rail technology.

It’s been claimed that the new console will be backwards compatible with physical and digital Switch games too.

VGC reported in February that Nintendo had internally delayed the launch of its next-gen console from this year to early 2025.

One publishing source suggested the delay was so that it could prepare stronger first-party software for the console, while others have claimed the move was made to avoid potential hardware supply issues.

Nintendo confirmed today that it will hold its traditional June Nintendo Direct this year, although it said the presentation won’t include any information on its next-gen games console.

Switch launched in March 2017 and has sold 141.32 million units to date, according to the platform holder.