Possible Game Console Delay Leads to Dive in Nintendo’s Shares

The successor to the Switch was originally planned to be launched by the end of this year. However, media reports suggest that the release of the console might be postponed until next year.

In Japan, the shares of video game behemoth Nintendo saw a decrease by approximately eight percent on Monday in Tokyo.

The drop came after media reports indicated that the launch of Nintendo’s upcoming game console could be deferred until early 2025.

The follow-up to the well-liked Switch was intended to be released by the end of this year. Nevertheless, Nintendo has reportedly told various game companies, according to financial news outlet Bloomberg, that the console’s launch might be delayed until the following year. Alongside Bloomberg, other media outlets have also reported on the potential delay, citing their sources.

Simultaneously, the delay would imply that the gaming titan would not be able to take advantage of the crucial November-December shopping season. This period includes significant shopping events such as Christmas, Black Friday, and Cyber ​​Monday.

A representative of Nintendo has stated, according to Bloomberg, that the company has no comments to make on this matter.

The Switch, designed to function both as a handheld gaming console and a more traditional gaming device that can be linked to a TV, gained massive popularity across all age groups during the corona pandemic.

However, the excitement has somewhat faded and the device is showing its age. The Switch was launched seven years ago. Despite its current console being of considerable age, Nintendo has been relatively silent about its future plans.

In Tokyo, the stock market week kicked off on a fairly stable note. The Nikkei index, which represents the overall trend of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, fell 0.09 percent at the beginning of the trading day on Monday. Contrarily, the broader Topix saw a slight increase of 0.04 percent.

On Friday, in the United States, the stock markets in New York ended on a lower note after recent inflation statistics lowered expectations that the US central bank, the Fed, would swiftly reduce its main interest rates. In Japan, however, the Nikkei ended the stock market week at its highest point in 34 years.

Toshiyuki Kanayaman, a market analyst at currency exchange company Monex, predicted that Japanese markets would open lower due to losses in US stocks.