Nintendo Switch will still be the company's 'main business' this year, says president

Red and blue Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons in controller shell
(Image credit: Enrique Vidal Flores on Unsplash)

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch will continue to be the focus for the Kyoto-based company during the 2024 financial year.

As reported by Bloomberg, Furukawa stated that the Nintendo Switch will be the company's "main business" in 2024 while declining to comment on its next console, which is largely expected to be revealed sometime this year.

Nintendo also shared its most recent Switch hardware and software results, with the console shipping 139.36 million units worldwide between the original model, the Nintendo Switch Lite, and the Nintendo Switch OLED. This is edging exceptionally close to the PlayStation 2, which recorded lifetime sales of 155 million. If the Switch goes on to beat that, it'll be the best-selling home console in history.

The best Nintendo Switch games also continue to sell incredibly well. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has sold 20.28 million units as of December 2023 (via VGC), making it the ninth best-selling Switch game since the console's launch. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet have collectively sold over 24 million units, too, firmly placing it in the number seven spot.

A few more recent Switch games have performed well, too. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is hovering around 12 million units sold, while Pikmin 4 managed a respectable 3.33 million. There's still life in the old dog yet, then.

While Furukawa declined to mention the Nintendo Switch's successor in any form, this doesn't rule out the possibility of new hardware launching this year. The PS2 enjoyed a long tail even after the launch of the PS3. Plus, Sony still supports the PS4 to this day. When you have an install base in the hundreds of millions, it's just good business sense to carry on support for last-gen hardware, as most folks likely won't be upgrading straight away.

With the Switch showing no signs of stopping, you may be interested in checking out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch controllers and best Nintendo Switch accessories.

Rhys Wood
Hardware Editor

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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