Highlights
- Switch 2 production reportedly lowered to about 4M units, down from 6M.
- Weak U.S. holiday demand prompts production slowdown into April 2026.
- The company waits for software momentum before increasing manufacturing.
Nintendo is reportedly reducing Switch 2 production after weaker-than-expected U.S. holiday demand, according to Bloomberg. The company plans to manufacture about 4M units this quarter, down from an earlier target of 6M. The reduced output is expected to continue into April 2026.
The adjustment follows slower U.S. sales, even as a lower-priced domestic variant performed strongly in Japan.
The Switch 2 launched in June 2025 at $450 USD. It became Nintendo’s most successful hardware debut, surpassing 17M units within roughly six months. Despite that start, momentum cooled during the holiday period.
Nintendo previously raised its fiscal-year forecast to 19M units through March 31, 2026, and reiterated that outlook. Sources cited in the report stated the lower output should still allow Nintendo to meet analyst expectations of around 20M units.
Switch 2 Output Reduced While Nintendo Waits for Software Momentum
Nintendo reportedly chose not to accelerate Switch 2 production following the release of Pokémon Pokopia, which sold more than 2M copies within four days. Management is instead evaluating whether recent releases have sustained demand before ramping up manufacturing.
Amir Anvarzadeh, Japan equity strategist at Asymmetric Advisors, called the development negative. He said the console missing expectations in its first holiday season was “awful news.”
Bloomberg
Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, said on a Feb 3, 2026, earnings call that “overseas sales were somewhat weaker than expected.” Japan outperformed expectations, helped by a domestic variant priced at $324. Meanwhile, during the December 2025 holiday period, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond sold fewer than one million copies. This marked a slower debut for a major Nintendo release.
Nintendo is also considering hardware revisions, including a replaceable-battery model for Europe to comply with EU regulations. The company remains confident in its long-term prospects and will provide further clarity in its May 8, 2026, earnings report.
