Nintendo has again confirmed that its next console is in development, but not what it will be - a Nintendo Switch Pro or another next-gen machine with all-new features.
However, it has revealed that, when ready, the Japanese gaming giant will ensure that production runs will be so large that stock should be readily available. It wants to beat the scalpers.
During a Q&A session with shareholders, Nintendo's president Suntaro Furukawa said that the company will make every effort to curb the resellers: "With regard to resale measures when launching new hardware, we recognise that the most important thing is to first produce and ship in numbers that can meet customer demand," he said (as reported by VGC).
"We will then consider whether there are any other possible measures that can be taken."
The last we heard on a possible Switch Pro was that Nintendo had decided to ditch the idea, opting for all-new hardware instead. That means the Nintendo Switch OLED is likely the last of this generation - and what a way to go out if it is.
It's also been readily available since launch, unlike rival consoles, the Xbox Series X and, especially, the PlayStation 5. Not only did they have to contend with a Pandemic and related chip shortage, but the scalping community snapped up units each time more stock became available. It meant true gamers struggled to get their hands on the new consoles for months, even years.
This is something Nintendo is keen to avoid, and we heartily approve. We might not know what it has up its sleeve when it comes to the hardware itself, but it's great that it wants to make sure fans will be able to buy it from launch.
That being said, there could well be so much genuine demand that you might have to wait (or preorder) anyway. After all, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sold over 10 million copies in just three days. And, Nintendo has reportedly shipped over 125 million Nintendo Switch consoles since its launch in 2017.
That's a heck of a lot of fans to cater for.
