Nintendo Reportedly Preparing 20 Million Switch 2 Consoles Despite Lower Forecast

Fans believe major upcoming Nintendo exclusives could justify the company’s aggressive Switch 2 production strategy this fiscal year.

Nintendo might be getting ready for a much bigger fiscal year than many fans first thought. Nintendo recently lowered its public sales forecast for the Switch 2 to 16.5 million units. However, a new report suggests that Nintendo may be planning for much higher demand behind the scenes.

The news source says that Nintendo has asked its suppliers to put together up to 20 million Switch 2 systems this fiscal year. That number is much higher than the company said it would be, leading fans and industry experts to wonder what Nintendo really has in store for the next hardware cycle.

It's interesting that some reporters noted this is a popular strategy among Japanese businesses. “Many large Japanese companies like to make public promises they can’t keep and then overdeliver later if demand is higher than expected.” In business, when it is hard to predict market and customer demand, there is little downside to making conservative public predictions.

What makes the situation even more interesting, though, is that Nintendo is said to be raising the price of the Switch 2 in late September. Even though prices are likely to go up, the company seems confident enough to set production levels that are well above what it has said it will do. Because of this, many Nintendo fans think the company may still have a few big game reveals in the works.

There’s been a lot more discussion in the last couple of weeks about Nintendo’s upcoming games. The potential of a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a rumor that keeps spreading. Many gamers think the system concept alone will sell many copies, given the fame of the original game.

Fans think big Nintendo news could drive strong Switch 2 sales.

Ocarina of Time is a remake, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the best-selling remakes of all time. The original game still has a lot of love and respect, and it had a huge impact on the history of video games. A new version of the game could easily get longtime Nintendo fans and new players who are just starting their journey with the series very excited.

Additionally, people are becoming increasingly excited about the prospect of a brand-new 3D Mario game. This is the first major original 3D Mario adventure that Nintendo has released in years. Many fans believe that the company is saving this type of game for a key point in the Switch 2’s lifecycle. Some players believe Nintendo will do an early reveal, while others think it may target 2027 instead.

Pokémon Wind and Waves are the subject of another important question. Some fans believe the game might still release in the first few months of 2027, before the end of Nintendo’s fiscal year, according to rumors that suggest it will not release in 2026. Many believe that if this happens, the demand for the Switch 2 could skyrocket.

A big Pokémon release, a possible remake of Zelda, and an upcoming 3D Mario news could all come together to make a very strong lineup that could boost hardware sales far beyond what Nintendo is currently predicting. Some fans are already sure that the company thinks those reported 20 million units will sell out quickly if its software roadmap comes together as planned.

It seems like Nintendo Direct is now much more important for Switch 2.

It makes the rumored Nintendo Direct presentation much more exciting, too. The economy is bad, and prices may go up, but the company seems confident enough to make the Switch 2. Fans are paying closer attention to each and every leak and rumor of Nintendo’s upcoming announcements.

So many people are looking forward to the next big Nintendo event, whether it’s next month or later this year. With the potential for big first-party announcements and the growing rumors about Nintendo’s long-term plans, the next few months could be very important for the future of the Switch 2 platform.