Since its release in 2017, the Nintendo Switch has been one of the most highly demanded game systems on the market. However, according to reports, the Switch is expecting a 10% decline in sales.
The reports which come from Nikkei Asia blame a “semiconductor shortage” as well as “disruptions to logistics networks” for the slight decline in sales from last year’s Nintendo Switch sales.
The global supply chain issues are still causing delays in manufacturing for many different industries all over the world, and the video game industry is no exception.
Nintendo, along with other major video game companies, are facing difficulties with hardware production in order to meet the demand of eager fans that want to get their hands on the newest and best gaming consoles on the market.
With massive AAA titles like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 coming later this year and the highly anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild coming in Spring of 2023, the demand for the Nintendo Switch is expected to be higher than ever over the next twelve months.
A 10% decrease in sales does not seem like a substantial factor for a massive corporation like Nintendo, but this number doesn’t tell the whole story about the supply chain’s lasting effects on video game manufacturing.
Nintendo expects to sell 20 million Switch consoles in 2022, which is a full 30% decrease from the over 28 million units that the company sold in 2020.