A report from Nikkei reveals that Nintendo has decided to postpone the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 in China. According to the report, this indefinite delay comes from Nintendo waiting to see what demand exists for the Switch 2 before its launch in China.
This is not unlike the original Nintendo Switch coming to China. Officially, the original Nintendo Switch arrived in China in 2019, two years after the console was available worldwide. Currently, the Nintendo Switch is sold in China through a collaboration with Tencent, who declined to comment to Nikkei when asked if they would also distribute the Nintendo Switch 2 in the region.
Nintendo's delay in bringing its new console to China isn't the biggest surprise, considering that last November, the company confirmed it would be shutting down online services, including the eShop, in China by 2026.
While some of the world's biggest games come from Chinese developers like Genshin Impact or the recent free-to-play success, Marvel Rivals, strict regulations around video games in the region still challenge releasing a game in China and finding success in the country.
Chief analyst at Gamma Data told Nikkei, "The hurdles to success in China remain high. They need to improve the consumer experience while complying with government policies, and there is also the issue of whether they will be able to introduce major international software."
Nikkei's report also adds that the console and the software released will need to go through approval processes from Chinese authorities, which could result in more restrictions on releasing the hardware and software.
Regarding the demand for the Nintendo Switch 2 in China, the report adds that retailers have been accepting pre-orders for the device, both in-store and online—pre-orders that will now presumably be canceled.
There's definitely some demand for Nintendo consoles and games in China, but the rollout of the Nintendo Switch and now the Switch 2 show just how precarious it is to get the console to the region in the first place.
