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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Nintendo has decided to postpone the release of its new game console, the Nintendo Switch 2, in mainland China for the time being. The current Nintendo Switch was released in China in 2019, but sales have been sluggish due to government regulations that limit the number of games available. The company is expected to wait and see what demand there is.

Nintendo will release the Switch 2 on June 5 in Japan, Europe, and other regions, but not in mainland China. In China, Tencent Holdings, a major internet service provider, has been selling the current Switch and its software. When asked if Tencent was in talks with Nintendo about selling the Switch 2, the company declined to respond. Tencent announced in November 2024 that it would end online-related services, such as online sales of current Switch software, in 2026. It appears that the priority of related businesses is declining.

The background to this is the unique regulations and market structure. The release of game consoles and software must go through inspection by the authorities, and restrictions are imposed that reflect the authorities' intentions. Another factor is the popularity of mobile games, which can be easily played on a smartphone without the need for an initial investment in a game console.

According to Chinese research firm Gamma Data, the Chinese game market is one of the largest in the world, reaching 325.8 billion yuan (approximately 6.4 trillion yen) in 2024, but it is highly saturated. The government is encouraging domestic games to go overseas, and the release of the Switch 2 will spur intensifying domestic competition.

Wang Xu, chief analyst at Gamma Data, said of the Switch 2, "The hurdles to success in China remain high. They need to improve the consumer experience while complying with government policies, and there is also the issue of whether they will be able to introduce major international software."

However, there are many Chinese consumers who are very interested in the Switch 2. Some e-commerce sites and brick-and-mortar stores are accepting pre-orders for the Hong Kong version of the Switch 2. The current Switch was released in China about two years after its release in Japan, so there is still a possibility that the Switch 2 will be released in China as well.

任天堂Switch2、中国で発売見送り　規制や需要見極めで - 日本経済新聞

任天堂は中国本土で新型ゲーム機「Nintendo Switch 2（ニンテンドースイッチ・ツー）」の発売を当面見送る。2019年に現行の「ニンテンドースイッチ」を中国で発売したが政府規制で遊べるソフ

www.nikkei.com

 

[Fermbiz]

 

[Magic Carpet]

I'm just going to put all Nintendo threads on ignore for 2025.
Sees ya next year.

 

[Baemono]

Good news is now I know how to say "to postpone" in japanese

 

[Sooner]

I'm just going to put all Nintendo threads on ignore for 2025.
Sees ya next year.

Ok, you do that.

Or, you could just not visit gaming forums at all and ignore videogame discussions altogether.

 

[adamsapple]

Regulations, sure.

But delay because they need to gauge demand? that sounds odd on paper. Why not release the thing and get a better idea of demand based on how well the first batch sells.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

The wording makes it sound like either A) Nintendo overestimated demand or Nintendo is fighting w/ tencent?

Which is odd to me. IMO, they (Nintendo) would have a good idea of what China's demand for the product would be.

 

[Wilhelm_85]

見送る means more like "pass on" or "have no plans to." It's a statement that they currently have no plans to release the console, but they won't rule out doing so in the future.

Can't blame them after how poorly things went with the first Switch. They were barely allowed to release any games for it.

The wording makes it sound like either A) Nintendo overestimated demand or Nintendo is fighting w/ tencent?

Which is odd to me. IMO, they (Nintendo) would have a good idea of what China's demand for the product would be.

The CCP approves very few games, especially those that originate from foreign companies. Kind of impossible to estimate demand when you can't even plan a release calendar reliably.

 

[tkscz]

I'm surprised they were even going to try considering how the CCP cock blocked the majority of switches and switch games. So no shock that they gave up on the idea.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

見送る means more like "pass on" or "have no plans to." It's a statement that they currently have no plans to release the console, but they won't rule out doing so in the future.

Can't blame them after how poorly things went with the first Switch. They were barely allowed to release any games for it.



The CCP approves very few games, especially those that originate from foreign companies. Kind of impossible to estimate demand when you can't even plan a release calendar reliably.

Great point. I forgot the CCP was still regulating releases from Japanese compaines. I was under the impression, CCP was allowing Nintendo to release many of their titles in China.

 

[lachesis]

They'll just get the consoles from South Korea in bulk, I think (like they snapped most of 5090 at launch).
Japan put up that domestic only version to put a damp on reselling. Not sure how much of that will be the case though, as it seems you need to have Nintendo Online account (if I'm not mistaken?) - and not sure how many of Japanese folks qualify.

 

[Astray]

Regulations, sure.

But delay because they need to gauge demand? that sounds odd on paper. Why not release the thing and get a better idea of demand based on how well the first batch sells.

Pure conjecture, but Tencent probably doesn't want to renew the agreement.

 

[Hyet]

They get to make it but not to play it? Don't think so, the thing was on the black market even before it was revealed.

 

[kiphalfton]

Ok, you do that.

Or, you could just not visit gaming forums at all and ignore videogame discussions altogether.

Let's not pretend like there aren't a dozen threads on the first page at any one time about the Switch 2.

Not everybody throws a fit, and takes an everything-or-nothing approach.

 

[Trilobit]

Shouldn't the Western world and Japan be as strict against China as China is against them? It seems to be a very uneven playfield. Basically looks like this with China's goal on the left:

 

[Hudo]

The Chinese market for gaming might be one of the largest in the world. But it's also easily the most retarded.

 

[Moses85]

USA will follow

Spoiler

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Nintendo is taking heat left and right. At this point, they should just cancel the Switch2 and release it at $299 in 7 years

 

[Matsuchezz]

They should delay the switch2 all together, Go back to the drawing board. add an SSD to the Dock. And lower the price of their crappy, low budget, ugly ass assets, voice-over less, kiddie looking games.

 

[Robb]

No launch in China…
Tariffs screwing them over in the US..
Price outrage over $80 games in Europe.

Shuntaro Furukawa watching the launch of his first console as president of Nintendo:

 

[mitch1971]

Nintendont

 

[ReyBrujo]

Now that they can't scalp the Japanese ones there are not enough Switch 2 to feed the Chinese market.

 

[Matsuchezz]

No launch in China…
Tariffs screwing them over in the US..
Price outrage over $80 games in Europe.

Shuntaro Furukawa watching the launch of his first console as president of Nintendo:

Who is the owner of Nintendo, last time I checked it was Hiroshi, who took reign over it? after he passed.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Wasn't there an article a few months back about the eshop shutting down support in china? Does another company do their digital distribution in China?

Here it is: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/nintendo-switch-eshop-and-online-services-are-ending-in-china-in-2026

 

[Alebrije]

Inb4 S2 delay incoming....we are on uncharted waters.

 

[Randall365]

I doubt they sell much in China anyway - they would all play pirate copies there and they hate Japan.

 

[MrJangles]

Weird country.

 

[touchfuzzy]

You can't postpone something that was never scheduled in the first place.

 

[Woopah]

Looks like Switch 2s will all be sold through the grey market then.

 

[AJUMP23]

China needs to compete on a fair market.

 

[Robb]

Who is the owner of Nintendo?

Been a while since I looked at their investor list, but I don't think any single owner has >50%.

 

[Hardensoul]

Oops wrong thread!