News Discussion

Nintendo Switch 2 Sees Strong Demand but Lower Profit Margins

Nintendo released its new gaming console, the Nintendo Switch 2, in Japan on June 5, marking its first new hardware in over eight years. The company expects to sell 15 million units globally in the first year, but demand has already far outpaced supply.

Some estimates suggest it could take until next spring for stock to catch up. Experts believe the Switch 2 has strong potential to surpass the original Switch, which sold 150 million units.

The new console features a larger 7.9-inch display with smoother graphics and supports 4K output when connected to a TV. It also introduces new features such as voice chat, along with an overall boost in performance.

Slow Start, Strong Demand

In Japan, the standard model is priced at ¥49,980 JPY (about $350 USD), while the multilingual version costs ¥69,980 (about $490). At a May earnings briefing, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that the higher price compared to the original Switch might slow initial sales.

Even so, more than 2.2 million people in Japan applied for the first official lottery sale, with many unable to secure a unit. Major electronics retailers also experienced intense competition in their own lotteries.

Despite the increased cost due to upgraded hardware and rising component prices, many consumers still considered the Switch 2 reasonably priced. Nintendo noted that its profit margin is lower than that of the original, suggesting the company deliberately kept prices down to promote early adoption.

Financial Outlook

For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Nintendo projects a 63.1% increase in revenue to ¥1.9 trillion ($13.2 billion), though net profit is expected to rise only 7.6% to ¥300 billion ($2.1 billion). The company plans to improve profitability through high-margin software sales once the console becomes more widely adopted.

On launch day, stores across Japan began handing out consoles to lottery winners. At the Joshin Nipponbashi store in Osaka, only pre-orders were available for pickup, but about 20 people still lined up before the 10 AM opening to collect their units.

Some customers took paid leave to pick up their devices. Others were seen collecting them on behalf of grandchildren. Meanwhile, resale listings quickly flooded online marketplaces, with some multilingual models priced at around ¥200,000 — nearly four times the retail price.

To combat scalping, Nintendo has implemented stricter lottery requirements and partnered with resale platforms. However, completely preventing reselling remains a challenge.

Hideki Yasuda, senior analyst at Toyo Securities, who closely follows the gaming industry, said, "Although it would increase costs, using air freight could raise this fiscal year's sales to 20 million units. In the end, the Switch 2 could end up being even more successful than the original Switch."

1. 1. gaming console　ゲーム機（据え置き型のビデオゲーム機）
   Many children dream of getting a new gaming console for their birthday.
2. 2. outpace　（～を）追い越す、上回る、先行する
   During the marathon, she outpaced most of the runners in the last few kilometers.
3. 3. deliberately　意図的に、わざと
   He deliberately left his phone at home so he could focus on the family trip.
4. 4. on behalf of　〜の代わりに、〜を代表して
   She accepted the award on behalf of her team.
5. 5. resell　～を転売する、再販する
   He bought concert tickets and tried to resell them online for a higher price.

1. 1. When was the Nintendo Switch 2 released in Japan?
2. 2. Why did many people in Japan not get the Switch 2 on launch day?
3. 3. What are two new features of the Switch 2 compared to the original?
4. 4. Would you be willing to wait in line or enter a lottery to buy a popular item like this? Why or why not?
5. 5. What do you think companies like Nintendo can do to stop reselling at high prices?

約8年3カ月ぶりとなる任天堂の新型ゲーム機「ニンテンドースイッチ2」が6月5日、発売された。任天堂は初年度の販売台数を世界で1500万台と予想するが、需要がはるかに上回っており、ほしい人に行き渡るのは来春ごろになるとの見立てもある。専門家は「1億5千万台売れたスイッチを超える可能性は十分ある」と分析する。

スイッチ2は画面サイズが7・9インチと大きくなり、なめらかな表示も可能となった。テレビ画面には高精細な4Kでの出力できるなど、順当に性能がアップ。ボイスチャットなどの新しい機能も追加された。

価格は国内向けが4万9980円、多言語対応モデルが6万9980円。5月の決算会見で古川俊太郎社長は「スイッチと比べて販売価格が高いため、早期普及には相応のハードルがある」と話していたが、公式ストアの第1回抽選には日本だけで220万人が応募し、落選する人が続出。家電量販店などの抽選にも応募が殺到して争奪戦となっている。

性能の向上や部品の高騰に伴いゲーム機の価格が上昇していることから、スイッチ2は想定より安いと考える人が多かったようだ。任天堂も「スイッチ2の粗利率はスイッチより低い」と説明しており、早期普及のためにぎりぎりまで価格を抑えたとみられる。

任天堂の2026年3月期の連結業績予想は、売上高が前期比63・1％増の1兆9千億円に対し、純利益は7・6％増の3千億円にとどまる。本体普及後に利益率の高いゲームソフトなどの販売を伸ばす計画だ。

スイッチ2が発売されたこの日は、全国の家電量販店で抽選販売に当選した人への受け渡しが始まった。ジョーシン日本橋店（大阪市浪速区）では当日販売がなく予約商品の引き渡しのみだったが、開店の午前10時前から受け取りに来た約20人が列をつくった。