Nintendo plans to release a new version of its Switch video game console next year to maintain the sales momentum of the device, according to suppliers and others with direct knowledge of the plan.
A report from The Wall Street Journal shows that sales of the Switch, introduced in March 2017, are still solid but are no longer delivering the favorable surprises that marked the machine’s first year on the market. Nintendo shares, which rose sharply last year, have trailed the broader stock market this year. The move to update the Switch suggests the Kyoto, Japan, company is moving quickly to ensure its flagship product doesn’t lose competitiveness.
Updating the display with these technologies would make it brighter, thinner and more energy-efficient. The updated Switch isn’t expected to adopt the organic light-emitting diode or OLED panels used in Apple’s iPhone X series.
Nintendo is looking to release the new Switch in the latter half of 2019, perhaps as soon as summer, the people said.
A Nintendo spokesman declined to comment.
