The Nintendo Switch 2 is off to a blazing start, and if all goes according to plan, it’ll be around for the long haul—possibly matching the eight-year lifespan of the original Switch.
Launched earlier this June, the Switch 2 is already shaping up to be one of the fastest-selling consoles in U.S. history, based on early (and very promising) leaked sales figures.
Given its early success, Nintendo seems committed to backing the Switch 2 as its primary console for many years.
The original Switch had a solid run—spanning from its 2017 launch all the way to 2025—thanks to blockbuster hits like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. And with so much momentum behind the new hardware, it looks like we’re in for a similar ride.
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa recently addressed the console’s future at the company’s 85th Annual General Meeting of shareholders.
While he didn’t drop an exact timeline, he made it clear that the company intends to support the Switch 2 for roughly the same duration as the first. “As with the original Nintendo Switch, our goal is for as many customers as possible to enjoy it for as long as possible,” Furukawa said, as reported by MP1st.
One thing working in the Switch 2’s favor is backward compatibility. You can play your favorite original Switch titles on the new console, which is perfect for players wanting to revisit games like Breath of the Wild or Kirby and the Forgotten Land without digging out their old hardware.
Furukawa even noted how the first group of kids who got the Switch back in 2017 are now teenagers—emphasizing how a longer console cycle lets new generations grow up with the system.
And of course, software support isn’t slowing down. The Switch 2 already has a stacked lineup for its first year. Donkey Kong Bananza drops July 17, and big-name titles like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment are waiting in the wings (even if they don’t have release dates yet). Mario Kart World, meanwhile, has hit the ground running as a strong launch title.
So, if you’re investing in the Switch 2, it looks like you’re in it for the long haul. With major exclusives, backward compatibility, and strong hardware momentum, Nintendo’s next-gen system is poised for a lengthy and successful reign—just like its predecessor.
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