Sawt Falasteen - Nintendo's Switch 2 scores record early sales

Featuring a bigger screen and more processing power, the console is an upgrade to the original Switch -- the third best-selling console of all time.

It was released last Thursday to a global swell of fan excitement that included sold-out pre-orders and midnight store openings.

The Japanese game giant said the Switch 2 had reached "the highest global sales level for any Nintendo hardware within the first four days".

It also broke industry records, analysts said, beating the first Switch and Sony's PlayStation 5, which respectively sold 2.7 million and 3.4 million units in their first month.

Now the key question is whether Nintendo can extend early excitement to match the overall success of the original.

The first Switch, which enjoyed a popularity boost during the pandemic with hit games such as "Animal Crossing", has sold 152 million units since its launch in 2017.

"Sales momentum will be difficult to sustain in the long run," cautioned Darang Candra of games market research firm Niko Partners.

"It could be that consumers want to buy before potential price increases due to potential tariffs by the United States," he told AFP.

"Its long-term success will depend on Nintendo's ability to sustain engagement with new titles" and attract casual gamers in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Asian countries outside Japan, Candra said.

- High price -

Nintendo forecasts it will sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles in the current financial year, roughly equal to the original in the same period after its release.

But it will also need to convince enough people to pay the high price for its new device.

The Switch 2 costs $449.99 in the United States, compared to a launch price of $299.99 for the original Switch.

Both are hybrid consoles which can connect to a TV or be played on the go.

New games such as "Donkey Kong Bananza" and "Mario Kart World" -- which allow players to go exploring off-grid -- are also more expensive than existing Switch titles.

The cost of the Switch 2 for American consumers is "a calculated move on Nintendo's part to avoid potential impacts from US tariffs", Candra said.

A Japan-only version is cheaper, at 49,980 yen ($350).

Nintendo says that hardware for North America is mainly produced in Vietnam, which US President Donald Trump has threatened with hefty extra tariffs of 46 percent.

The Switch 2 has eight times the memory of the first Switch, and its controllers, which attach with magnets, can also be used like a desktop computer mouse.

New functions allowing users to chat as they play online and temporarily share games with friends could also be a big draw for young audiences used to watching game streamers.

And success is crucial: while the "Super Mario" maker is diversifying into theme parks and hit movies, around 90 percent of its revenue comes from the Switch business.

Y.Shaath--SF-PST