New hardware, who dis? There’s something exciting about the launch of a new console from one of the big three, with a level of excitement in the air that is thick enough to taste at times. Hmmm, tastes like teen spirit because I may be waiting in line right now for the Nirvana 64. Anyway this year sees Nintendo step up to the plate with the Switch. A home console under the sheets and a handheld in the streets, Nintendo needs this device to succeed in all the areas where the Wii U utterly failed.
And succeed it might! Because according to some guesstimating from research firm DFC Intelligence, the Switch could sell over 40 million units by the time 2020 comes to an end. According to GI.biz that’d be triple what the Wii U sold in its first four years, 13.36 million units – paling when compared to the lifetime sales of the Nintendo Wii which shifted 100 million units.
“Demand is expected to be strong and the major issue will be whether the system can attract a broad audience starting in the holiday sales season of 2017,” the DFC report said.
The Switch is a compelling piece of hardware that could potentially reach a much larger addressable market. However given the limited software and Nintendo’s poor recent track record of introducing new products we have tempered our forecasts to be conservative.
That’s not a bad estimate then. While the Switch will launch with two million consoles available and less than ten games to begin with, it’ll hopefully shore up a decent library of titles by the holiday season. That’s where the real money is. I’m at a point now where I’m sill hungry for the console, but my technolust can wait a few more months for it. Unlike Al, who is already this close to getting a Triforce tattoo as he sips further on that Legend of Zelda kool-aid.
Last Updated: January 23, 2017
Ottokie
January 23, 2017 at 12:38
I suspect it is set for 2020 cause a lot of people might not pick it up on release due to so much grey areas around local price, games and performance
Original Heretic
January 23, 2017 at 12:52
Did their parents never ever teach them about chicken counting and egg hatching? They can expect 100 million sales. But will they actually get them?
PurplePariah
January 23, 2017 at 14:29
This is an independent research company, not Nintendo themselves. Nintendo are only making 2 million to start, worldwide. I think that’s conservative enough.
Admiral Chief
January 23, 2017 at 12:55
Heh, 2020 sounds like science fiction until you see that we are in 2017…
RinceThis
January 23, 2017 at 12:56
By 2020 everyone would have bought at least 50 new controllers. A good long game…
Viper_ZA
January 23, 2017 at 13:23
I’m sure OLX & Gumtree will have quite a few floating around within the first few days of local release!
Skittle
January 23, 2017 at 13:34
Buy 2020 it will be cheap enough to buy.