Nintendo has responded to concerns regarding an imminent price cut on Nintendo Switch consoles, confirming there will be no cuts at least through early 2024. The future of the Nintendo Switch very much remains up in the air at the moment. While the Switch continues to be incredibly successful, especially with the newly launched The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a shift to a new console seems inevitable. When that happens, and how the Nintendo Switch will be impacted in the months to come, are questions that remain unanswered.Major leaks surrounding the successor to the Nintendo Switch have found their way online in recent months, though their veracity remains in question. Hardware rumors include an LCD screen from Sharp, an Nvidia Tegra system-on-a-chip boosting performance, support for 4K resolution, though none are anywhere near confirmed. Release date rumors range from 2024 with an announcement later this year, all the way back to years down the line. It's a baffling situation where most agree a Nintendo Switch sequel console is in the works, but no one knows what Nintendo's plans are.The speculation has prompted a statement regarding Nintendo's pricing plans for the Nintendo Switch during a recent Q&A session. President Shuntaro Furukawa reassured concerned parties that Nintendo had no plans to reduce the pricing on Nintendo Switch hardware this fiscal year. As such, pricing on the Nintendo Switch, its OLED upgrade, and the handheld-only Lite will stay at their current prices up to April 2024 at the earliest.
No further comment regarding whether price cuts would eventually be delivered was made. Furukawa stated that manufacturing costs for the Switch remain high, despite the costs of certain production materials falling. Theoretically, that means there will be room for price cuts in the future, but Nintendo is understandably noncommittal.
The reason why Nintendo fans believe a price cut could be coming is that a potential Switch console successor would need to stand apart from its predecessor. Since the Nintendo Switch OLED currently retails for $349.99, a Switch follow-up would have to be priced at $400 or higher. If Nintendo could lower prices by $50 or more for current Nintendo Switch models, a $400 Switch sequel console would be more attractive in comparison.
Without further details regarding when Nintendo's next console could launch, it's difficult to make any assumptions about the situation. Furukawa has also said no hardware announcements will be made this fiscal year. A Nintendo Switch Pro could be announced mid-to-late 2024, with the new console's launch in late 2024 or early 2025, but that's just one possibility. Nintendo fans will just have to wait until 2024 for any big announcements regarding the Nintendo Switch or its successor.