New Nintendo Switch consoles could prove scarce amid supply issues

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TheNintendo Switchconsole could face production challenges this year, says Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, due to shortages of crucial semiconductors.

Speaking to Japanese news siteNikkei(viaVGC), the Nintendo President signalled that the immense demand for the hybrid home-handheld console made sourcing necessary parts on a sufficient scale difficult – and that it could cause problems with order fulfilment later in the year, even if “immediate” production wasn’t impacted.

Furukawa said that “We have been able to secure the necessary materials for the immediate production of semiconductors for switches. However, in Japan and other countries, demand has been very strong since the beginning of the year, and there is a possibility of shortages at some retailers in the future."

Given the continued popularity of the Nintendo Switch andSwitch Liteconsoles, it’s likely that some may struggle to nab a device in the coming months – and that the smartest thing is to scout out someNintendo Switch dealsbefore stockists run into trouble.

The ongoing semiconductor shortage is spelling trouble for a lot of other manufacturers too, notoriouslycausing supply issues for the PS5, and leading tothe likely cancellation of the Samsung Galaxy Note 21.

The incomingQualcomm CEOexpects things to settle down within the coming year, but it’s clearly having a big impact in hardware availability in the meantime.

What does this mean for the Switch Pro?

We haven’t heard anything about how these shortages could affect the rumoredNintendo Switch Pro, of course, given the next iteration of the Switch console has yet to be formally announced.

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Some reports have suggested a Switch Pro – an upgraded model with anOLEDpanel and4K resolutionupscaling in TV mode – could be unveiled before 2021 is over.

With Nintendo confirmed to appear atE3 2021, too, it may be that the house ofMarioand Zelda will be using the annual games event to show off new Switch hardware.

It’s worth noting that Nintendo hasn’t shown off new hardware at an E3 event since the arrival of theWii Uin 2011. The Switch was unveiled in an October broadcast, while the Switch Lite was announced several weeks after E3 2019, showing Nintendo’s willingness to go by its own schedules and ensure the limelight isn’t crowded by other publishers and console makers.

These semiconductor shortages could spell delays for a new iteration, though, and make a 2022 launch far more likely.

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.

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