After rumors and leaks indicated that Nintendo’s next console would be releasing in the second half of 2024, it appears that the launch has now been pushed back to 2025. This is according to multiple reports, including an O X do Controle video in which journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Libbe claims to have received the information from five sources. This has been backed up by Eurogamer, which reports hearing “similar whispers” of an early 2025 launch. A VGC report further corroborates the new information, with sources telling the publication that Nintendo has told publishers its next console will launch in Q1 2025.
Sources say that third-party companies were recently informed of an internal delay from Nintendo that pushed the console from the previously planned late 2024 release. One source tells VGC that the reason behind this delay comes down to not having strong enough first-party titles ready for late 2024.
The topic of a successor to the Nintendo Switch—which remains unnamed but I like to imagine will be called the Switcheroo—has been a hot topic in the industry for years at this point. The Switch released on March 3, 2017, and has now reached the average lifespan of a game console. While there is a lot we can piece together about its successor thanks to leaks and industry analysts, we still have heard nothing official about its existence.
While Nintendo fans may be disappointed to hear that they’ll likely be waiting longer for whatever comes after the Switch, it does suggest that Nintendo will follow the release schedule of the Switch, which had a release early in the year. For 2024, Nintendo seems focused on giving the Switch a respectable end, with the likes of Princess Peach: Showtime! still on the horizon. That game is set to hit Nintendo’s handheld hybrid on March 22.