When I reviewed the Nintendo Switch 2 launched earlier this June, my assessment was that it would be worth buying eventually, but probably not right away. The console then went on to have the biggest gaming launch of all-time, so there’s egg on my face, but I stand by what I said: Until now, the Switch 2 has been a great way to play enhanced Switch 1 games, but hasn’t had many exclusives, so you could generally still play Nintendo’s newest titles without upgrading your device (unless you’re an impatient Mario Kart or Donkey Kong fan).
But now, it seems that’s about to change, and if you haven’t gotten the Switch 2 yet, it might finally be time to take the plunge. In a financial results briefing on Wednesday, Nintendo admitted that “going forward, we will shift our primary development focus to Nintendo Switch 2 and expand our business around this new platform.”
That doesn’t mean the original Switch is being discontinued right away, but despite the latest Pokémon game having come out for it just half a month ago, it does mean the system is getting prepped for retirement. Despite the Switch’s success (154.01 million lifetime sales so far!), the transition makes sense. That console is eight years old at this point, and was already using older hardware than that when it came out. Continuing to make the latest first-party Nintendo games compatible with the original Switch as well could hold Switch 2 development back—and with such a large player base having upgraded to the Switch 2 already (the successor system has sold 10.36 million as of Sept. 30), the company probably doesn’t see it as necessary.
Can I still buy a Switch 1?
Hardware sales won’t be affected for now, if you want to play the existing original Switch library and somehow don’t own one already. In the same report, Nintendo said it will continue to sell the original Switch, “while taking consumer demand and the business environment into consideration.” This also lines up with Nintendo’s previous behavior, as Nintendo waited three years until after the launch of the original Switch to discontinue the 3DS.
When should you get the Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo didn’t give too many more hints at its plans in its briefing, but we can take the company’s statement to mean that it won’t start development on any new Switch 1 games that haven’t already been announced. That means we probably already have a good idea of what the Switch 1’s final first-party game will be—after which content for the console will probably start to dry up.
And, to be fair, the Switch’s swan song is fitting. Releasing on December 4, the final first-party game for Nintendo Switch is likely to be Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. It’s the fruition of a troubled development that has taken almost as long as the Switch lasted, with the game’s announcement coming just a few months after the console debuted. Not a bad way to go. Like other recent Switch 1 games, Metroid Prime 4 is also getting a Switch 2 edition that will improve performance and add features like mouse controls, but as it stands, you won’t need to upgrade to play it.
If you’re as stubborn as me, that means you can probably hold off on a Switch 2 until 2026, but to play Nintendo’s big new releases after that, you’ll need to move on.
What about third-party games?
The one exception to the Switch’s impending retirement might be third-party games, which according to this helpful chart from redditor u/ieatdragonz, are planned through at least late next year. Even those are starting to be impacted, though, as many of these games are ports of titles that have already been released elsewhere, while more demanding third-party games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are already starting to skip Nintendo’s last-gen system.
Which Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives are coming out before next year?
While those looking to keep up with Nintendo’s games after December will probably no choice but to upgrade, there are reasons to upgrade before then, depending on your tastes. Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are both exclusive to the Switch 2, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which launched today, is also unavailable on the original Switch. Later this month, these titles will also be joined by Kirby Air Riders.
If any of these games strike your fancy, they already present a compelling reason to upgrade. If not, Nintendo will probably get you at some point now that it’s moved the full force of its development to its new console.
What about the Switch 2’s smaller player base?
In moving development focus to Switch 2 games, Nintendo is making its studios’ lives a bit easier, but also shrinking its active player base. More than 10.3 million players is a lot, but it’s a fraction of the over 150 million players on the original Switch. That means sales for new Nintendo games could be held back by a smaller total possible audience, at least for a while. But at the same time, making its shiny new releases exclusive to its new console could also easily push sales of the new system even further. Plus, it’s not like every original Switch owner is buying every new release now, anyway.
At $450, the Switch 2 is an expensive bit of kit compared to its predecessor (though to be fair, the onld system recently got a tariff-related price increase that made the difference smaller), so it is unclear if its strong early performance will keep up long enough to rebuild Nintendo’s player base from its last generation. But it’s clear the company’s going to be giving the system its all going forward, and based on recent success, it’s got a lot of money to throw at it.
That means that if you don’t want to be left behind when the next Zelda or Mario comes out, it’s finally time to consider opening up your wallet. I still prefer competing hardware like the Steam Deck, to be honest, but I also like that little red plumber, so I guess I’ve got no choice now but to start saving up my gold coins.
