Looks like Nintendo is pushing the Switch into the same path as the 3DS. In a recent Q&A session following the company’s presentation of the latest financial results, Nintendo confirmed that it will continue to support the 3DS in 2019 and beyond.
This is because the entertainment company wants the Switch to become a one-per-person console as a pose to the one-per-house, which the 3DS is currently fulfilling due to the age of the hardware and the affordability. So for now, it seems that the Switch and 3DS will continue to co-exist.
Consumers purchased 3DS systems in numbers we expected last fiscal year. It has an ample software lineup at a price point that makes the system affordable especially for parents looking to buy for their kids. We expect that demand to continue during this fiscal year as well, so we will continue to sell the product.
Given that Switch is a home gaming system that can be taken on the go, this situation may change if it grows from being a one-per-household system to a one-per-person system. But the price of Switch is not something with which most parents would buy a system for every one of their children in a short period of time. Moving forward, we will work to ascertain what kinds of play people want at which price points, and as long as there is such demand, we will continue to sell the 3DS system. I see the product coexisting with Nintendo Switch at this point in time.
Thoughts? Let us know down in the comments below.