The development kits of the next Nintendo console are now in the hands of major studio partners, and are slated for launch next year, sources tell VGC.

According to several people familiar with Nintendo's plans for next generation consoles, the company is expected to release its new hardware in the second half of 2024, to ensure that it has sufficient inventory from day one and avoid the type of shortage seen with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

While specific console details are being closely guarded, people VGC spoke to indicated that la console next-gen would be able to be used in portable mode, like the Nintendo Switch.

Two sources VGC spoke to suggested that the console could launch with an LCD screen, instead of the more premium OLED, to bring down costs, especially considering the increase in the storage required for highest fidelity games. The current Switch comes with just 32GB of internal memory, while many current-gen PlayStation and Xbox games exceed 100GB.

Like its predecessor, Nintendo's new console will also accept physical games via cartridge slot, the sources said.

Other details, such as support for backwards compatibility for Switch games (physical and digital), remain unclear. Nintendo has said it wants to convert as many Switch users as possible (more than 100 million) to its next console, although some third-party publishers have reportedly expressed concern that Nintendo's support for Switch games legacy could negatively impact sales of next-generation titles.

Nintendo did not immediately respond to VGC's request for comment on this story.

The Dr. Serkan Toto, a Tokyo-based industry consultant, said a console launch in 2024 would make sense for Nintendo, as it's expected to see double-digit declines in Switch hardware and software sales this year, after erasing seven years on the market.

"I would generally say that looking at Nintendo's financials, it seems clear that it's time to launch a new material in 2024", he said. "Hardware sales are already expected to fall 16.5% year over year in the current fiscal year, while the decline in software sales is expected to reach 15, 9%.

“The only way to keep those losses from skyrocketing next fiscal year is with a new device, and the second half of 2024 seems like a realistic exit window to me.

ReedPop's head of B2B games, Christopher Dring, said a 2024 release would fit Nintendo's historical trend of launching "mid-cycle" hardware compared to PlayStation and Xbox.

“The original Switch came out over three years after the PS4 and Xbox One, which turned out to be a efficient movement for Nintendo. A release in the second half of 2024 for la Switch 2 would be almost four years after PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, so we would see a similar 'mid-cycle' launch for Nintendo," he said.

"I would say that unlike 2017, Microsoft's and Sony's consoles still feel relatively new right now, partly due to component shortages that slowed rollout in the first two years, and software delays. which means we haven't seen too many titles take full advantage of the PS5 or Xbox Series X, so it remains to be seen if Nintendo will get the same benefit.

"However, the biggest competitor Nintendo faces is itself. While its core fans are eager for more hardware, its more family-oriented 'casual' fans will need more hardware. be convinced. the next Mario Kart will bring them more than the current one, for example?

"Nintendo has struggled to scale players from previous generations, so how it addresses things like digital libraries, Nintendo Account, and even backwards compatibility could prove crucial to getting the next console off to a flying start. wheel."

If Nintendo releases the successor to the Switch closer to Christmas, Dring said he would expect a deeper launch lineup than what we saw with the first Switch, which arrived earlier in its launch year. .

"In 2017, Nintendo staggered its releases, with a big game arriving almost every month," he said. "By the time the holiday season rolled around, the firm had Mario, Zelda, Splatoon and Mario Kart - plus a number of smaller titles like Arms et Xenoblade - to push the console onto the crucial Christmas sale window.

“If Nintendo opts for a fourth quarter release next year, I expect the company to have several games ready to launch.”

In May, Nikkei Asia claimed to have been told by a source close to Nintendo that work on the company's next console appears to be going smoothly. "Development appears to be progressing satisfactorily," it said. "But the product launch won't happen until next spring at the earliest.

Nintendo is aiming for 2024 with its next-gen console