Nintendo To Ramp Up Switch Production
Nintendo looks set to accelerate production of the Switch console to 30 million units this year, despite the global chip shortage.
As reported by Nikkei Asia, the Japanese gaming giant has seen booming sales for the Switch and its smaller handheld-only Switch Lite counterpart thanks to the pandemic, with more people staying at home and needing entertainment.
Launched in 2017, the Switch has sold roughly 80 million units worldwide as of the end of last year; the company rolled out the Switch Lite in 2019, and is widely predicted to release a new version this year with updated Nvidia graphics.
The worldwide shortage of semiconductors, however, may put a damper on Nintendo’s ambitions; Nintendo’s President Shuntaro Furukawa said earlier this year that the drought could affect future production, though current supplies are adequate.
“We have experienced higher-than-expected demand this year as well, and there is a possibility that certain products will be in short supply, especially in Japan,” he said.
The Switch continues to be a strong performer despite the recent releases of the notoriously hard-to-find Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, outselling the PS5 over the holiday quarter.