Paywall’s Nikkei reported Tuesday that Nintendo has asked its manufacturing partners to increase Switch production to 30 million units in the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.
These numbers represent the highest production level for the Switch yet, and it’s the fifth year of unprecedented growth since the console’s launch.
According to Nintendo data, in the first nine months of the last fiscal year ending in March, Switch shipments were 24 million units, a year-on-year increase from the third year.
The Nikkei Shimbun noted that these figures depend on the evolution of the current global semiconductor shortage, which during the shortage has affected all consumer electronics industries.
The Nikkei report said: “The company has contacted many manufacturers of parts to increase production.”
“Several officials admitted to us that they are considering expanding production. The company is expected to also add higher-end models with higher image quality. The Switch’s first companion model since the Nintendo Switch Lite in 2019 which made it more portable. ”
A Nintendo spokesperson responded: “There is nothing we can reveal about production volume and high-end models.”
As of December 31, 2020, the Switch has sold nearly 80 million game consoles, and the Switch will definitely become Nintendo’s best-selling home game console.
Nintendo’s upcoming Switch hardware update (analysts call it the “Switch Pro”) will reportedly use Nvidia’s DLSS technology and improved displays.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, “Switch Pro” will include a new 7-inch Samsung OLED display in place of the current standard model and the Switch Lite 6.2 and 5.5-inch LCD displays.
Nintendo outlines plans for Switch to overtake Wii’s 100 million sales
The company intends to serve an increasingly diverse user base and encourage multiple purchases from the same household.
In a recent interview, Nintendo’s president provided the latest information on Switch hardware production, noting that the company has been able to protect enough semiconductors for “immediate” production.
However, in an interview with Nikkei Shimbun, Furukawa Juntaro warned that due to strong demand, the Switch may still encounter hardware shortages this year.
He said: “We have been able to guarantee the immediate production of the materials necessary for the semiconductor switch.” “However, since the beginning of this year, in Japan and other countries, demand has been very strong and some retailers may experience shortages in the future.
“It is difficult to say how we will solve it, but in some cases, we may not be able to prepare enough for the order.”