{"id":4395,"date":"2026-05-23T13:06:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T10:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/?p=4395"},"modified":"2026-05-23T14:17:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T11:17:46","slug":"nintendo-switch-2-production-target-20-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/nintendo-switch-2-production-target-20-million\/","title":{"rendered":"Nintendo Raises Switch 2 Production Target to 20 Million Despite Global Price Hike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nintendo has instructed its assembly partners and component suppliers to produce approximately 20 million Switch 2 consoles by the end of its fiscal year in March 2027. According to a Bloomberg report published on May 22, 2026, this figure sits roughly 20% above the 16.5 million unit sales forecast Nintendo shared with investors earlier in the month. The move signals that the Kyoto-based company expects demand to remain robust even after a worldwide price increase takes effect in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the Bloomberg Report Reveals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Nintendo&#8217;s latest production volume plan is not yet final and may be adjusted depending on demand conditions. However, the direction is clearly upward. This mirrors the company&#8217;s pattern from the previous fiscal year, when it set an official target of 15 million Switch 2 units and ultimately shipped 19.86 million before the March 2026 deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Industry analyst Serkan Toto summarised Nintendo&#8217;s strategy for Bloomberg: &#8220;For them, there is no real downside in lowballing numbers first and then surpassing them later. The just-finished fiscal year is a good example.&#8221; The 20 million production target serves a dual purpose: meeting anticipated sales demand while building enough inventory to start the following fiscal year without supply shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First-Year Sales: 19.86 Million Units Shipped<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nintendo&#8217;s earnings report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 confirmed that the Switch 2 shipped 19.86 million units worldwide since its June 2025 launch. That figure comfortably surpasses the original Switch&#8217;s first-year sales of 17.8 million units, making the Switch 2 the fastest-selling Nintendo console in history. Software performance was equally strong: 48.71 million Switch 2 games were sold, led by Mario Kart World and Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Z-A.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original Switch, meanwhile, reached lifetime sales of 155.92 million units with over 1.5 billion games sold. Nintendo is clearly building the Switch 2 to inherit and expand that massive installed base, and the early trajectory suggests it could achieve similar long-term penetration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Price Increase: How Much and When<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nintendo announced a global price revision in early May 2026, citing rising DRAM and memory chip costs along with shifting trade conditions. The increases take effect on September 1, 2026 in most regions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>United States:<\/strong> $449.99 to $499.99 (a $50 increase)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Europe:<\/strong> \u20ac469.99 to \u20ac499.99 (a \u20ac30 increase)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Canada:<\/strong> C$629.99 to C$679.99 (a C$50 increase)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Japan:<\/strong> The region-locked model increased from \u00a549,980 to \u00a559,980 on May 25, 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Older Switch hardware is also getting more expensive in Japan: the Switch OLED rose to \u00a547,980, the standard Switch to \u00a543,980, and the Switch Lite to \u00a529,980. Nintendo noted that multilingual Switch 2 models sold through the My Nintendo Store will retain their current pricing for the time being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Nintendo Remains Confident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The production boost is not based on hardware demand alone. Nintendo is counting on one of the strongest first-party and third-party software lineups in recent memory to sustain momentum through the rest of 2026 and into early 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Final Fantasy VII Rebirth arrives on Switch 2 on June 3, 2026. A brand-new Star Fox title launches on June 25, 2026. The summer window includes Splatoon Raiders, Fire Emblem: Fortune&#8217;s Weave, and Rhythm Paradise Groove. Pikmin 4 is also expected to receive a Switch 2 edition later in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The biggest potential system-seller for the holiday season is a full remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. While not officially confirmed, multiple corroborated leaks from reliable insiders point to a ground-up remake (not a remaster) targeting a late 2026 release. Reports also suggest a Zelda-themed limited-edition Switch 2 console could accompany the launch. If accurate, this would be a major catalyst for hardware sales during the critical holiday quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">FromSoftware&#8217;s The Duskbloods, an exclusive multiplayer title for Switch 2, is also slated for 2026. Third-party support extends further with Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4 ports, Devil May Cry 5, and numerous other AAA releases that continue to fill out the console&#8217;s growing library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Official Forecast Looks Conservative<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Nintendo projected 16.5 million Switch 2 sales for the current fiscal year (ending March 2027), investors reacted negatively. The number was lower than the 19.86 million units shipped the previous year, and the stock price dipped accordingly. Analyst Daniel Ahmad noted that the market was uncomfortable with what appeared to be a step backward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But context matters. Nintendo consistently underestimates its own sales targets. The 20 million production order suggests the company internally expects to exceed the published forecast by a meaningful margin. The conservative public guidance acts as a floor, not a ceiling, and Nintendo has repeatedly beaten these numbers over the past decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will the Price Hike Slow Demand?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analyst Serkan Toto believes consumers will gradually adjust to the higher price point, and Nintendo can soften the impact with bundle campaigns and promotional pricing. Nintendo has already begun rolling out new bundle configurations ahead of the September price change, offering more perceived value at the current price tier before the increase hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historical precedent supports this view. The original Switch weathered multiple price adjustments across different regions over its lifespan without significant demand erosion. The Switch 2&#8217;s deep software library, Nintendo&#8217;s loyal customer base, and the lack of a direct competitor in the hybrid console space all serve as buffers against price sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, budget-conscious buyers in emerging markets may feel the squeeze more acutely, particularly where import duties and local taxes amplify the base price increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Questions Gamers Are Asking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How many Switch 2 consoles have been sold so far?<\/strong> As of March 31, 2026, Nintendo shipped 19.86 million Switch 2 units globally since the console&#8217;s June 2025 launch. This exceeds the original Switch&#8217;s first-year figure of 17.8 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is the 20 million production target confirmed?<\/strong> Bloomberg reports it based on people familiar with the matter. Nintendo has not publicly confirmed this figure. The production plan is described as not yet final and subject to demand-based adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>When does the price increase take effect?<\/strong> September 1, 2026 in the US, Canada, and Europe. Japan&#8217;s increase went live on May 25, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What major games are coming to Switch 2 in 2026?<\/strong> Confirmed titles include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (June 3), Star Fox (June 25), Splatoon Raiders (summer), Fire Emblem: Fortune&#8217;s Weave (summer), and Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition. A Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is widely expected for the holiday season but remains unconfirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is the original Switch still being sold?<\/strong> Yes. The Switch family has reached 155.92 million lifetime sales. Nintendo projects an additional 2 million Switch units for the current fiscal year alongside the 16.5 million Switch 2 forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why did Nintendo lower its forecast compared to last year?<\/strong> The 16.5 million figure is Nintendo&#8217;s public guidance, which the company historically sets conservatively. The 20 million production order suggests the actual expectation is higher. The gap between public forecast and production target mirrors the pattern from the previous year, when Nintendo guided for 15 million and shipped nearly 20 million.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nintendo has asked suppliers to produce roughly 20 million Switch 2 units by March 2027, about 20% above its conservative public forecast. Despite an incoming price increase, the company is banking on strong demand and a stacked game lineup that includes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Star Fox, and a rumored Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[322],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4395"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4397,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4395\/revisions\/4397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}