Nintendo cuts Switch 2 production amid weakening console sales | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Nintendo cuts Switch 2 production amid weakening console salesComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...GamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechNintendo cuts Switch 2 production amid weakening console salesOutput is reportedly being reduced from six million to four million units, despite the console’s record debut.Output is reportedly being reduced from six million to four million units, despite the console’s record debut.by Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedMar 24, 2026, 11:45 AM UTCLinkShareGiftPhoto: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeJess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.Nintendo will produce fewer Switch 2 units than it previously projected in response to weakening demand for the console in the US, Bloomberg reports. Four million units of Nintendo’s flagship device are expected to be made this quarter instead of the six million it had originally planned, according to unnamed sources cited by the publication, with the reduced output set to continue in April.Last month, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said during an earnings call that “overseas sales were somewhat weaker than expected.”This slowdown follows a record-breaking launch in June last year, making the Switch 2 Nintendo’s fastest-selling console of all time after shifting 3.5 million units in its first four days. The production cuts aren’t expected to impact Nintendo’s ability to meet its target of selling 19 million Switch 2 units this fiscal year, which ends in March, according to Bloomberg’s sources, and the Japanese gaming giant remains confident in the console’s long-term prospects.Like many tech companies, Nintendo is also facing increased production costs due to rising memory prices, and is reportedly considering whether to increase Switch 2 console prices, but these production cuts are being driven by slower consumer demand for the console.Export delays sparked by the war in the Middle East may cause Nintendo to increase Switch 2 production again, according to Bloomberg’s sources, with Nintendo aiming to stockpile sufficient quantities of a battery-replaceable variant that it’s planning to sell in Europe over the next fiscal year.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsNintendoCloseNintendoPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NintendoTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularNvidia CEO Jensen Huang says ‘I think we’ve achieved AGI’The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the USConfronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated meVideoDonut Lab’s solid-state battery could barely hold a charge after getting damagedThe new MacBook Pro is still fast as hellThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in GamingPDP’s wireless guitar controller has returned to its best price to dateCrimson Desert dev apologizes for use of AI artAI was everywhere at gaming’s big developer conference — except the gamesOeuf is a punishing platformer in a cozy shellA new Nintendo Switch 2 could be the poster child for replaceable batteriesFuture Sony PlayStation games will use AI to imagine new framesPDP’s wireless guitar controller has returned to its best price to dateCameron FaulknerMar 23Crimson Desert dev apologizes for use of AI artTerrence O'BrienMar 22AI was everywhere at gaming’s big developer conference — except the gamesJay PetersMar 22Oeuf is a punishing platformer in a cozy shellGeoffrey BuntingMar 21A new Nintendo Switch 2 could be the poster child for replaceable batteriesJay PetersMar 20Future Sony PlayStation games will use AI to imagine new framesSean HollisterMar 20Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop StoriesMar 23Confronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated meVideoMar 23The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the USMar 21The new MacBook Pro is still fast as hellMar 23Some writing advice from Project Hail Mary’s Andy WeirMar 22Online age checks came first — a VPN crackdown could be nextMar 23In-hub motors make this humble Hyundai a monster on iceThe VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie PolicyLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform Status© 2026 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Nintendo is adjusting its production strategy for the Switch 2 console in response to a discernible decline in sales, particularly within the United States. Initial projections indicated a planned output of six million units for the current fiscal quarter, a figure subsequently revised downward to four million units. This reduction extends into April, representing a notable deviation from the company’s earlier forecasts. The adjusted production target reflects a strategic acknowledgment of a slowdown in consumer demand, a revelation first communicated by Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa during an earnings call. Furukawa’s statement highlighted weaker-than-anticipated overseas sales following an extraordinarily successful launch, characterized by a shift of 3.5 million units within the first four days. Despite this initial momentum, the revised production numbers do not signal a reassessment of Nintendo’s overall sales target of 19 million units for the fiscal year concluding in March.

However, the company's adjustments are intertwined with broader industry challenges. Nintendo, like numerous other technology firms, is grappling with escalating production costs, primarily driven by rising prices for memory components essential to the console’s functionality. Consequently, Nintendo is reportedly exploring the possibility of implementing price increases for the Switch 2, although the primary impetus for the reduced output remains rooted in diminished consumer demand.

Furthermore, potential supply chain disruptions, specifically stemming from export delays precipitated by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, are anticipated to necessitate a resurgence in Switch 2 production. Sources suggest Nintendo intends to establish a stockpile of the battery-replaceable variant slated for release in Europe during the subsequent fiscal year, prioritizing the availability of this model. This reactive measure underscores Nintendo’s commitment to mitigating potential disruptions and ensuring sufficient supply to meet anticipated future demand. The company’s strategic response to the evolving market conditions and supply chain dynamics reflects a cautious approach to sustaining the momentum established during the console’s initial, groundbreaking phase.