Nintendo Switch Mini For 2019? Analysts Predict New Gaming Hardware To Debut As Early As Next Year As Console Sales Increase

Is Nintendo tipped to release a Switch Mini in the near future? Analysts believe so, with some suggesting that the gaming company will introduce the hardware as early as next year, with shipments to start in 2019.

According to Citigroup Inc analysts including Minami Munakata, Kota Ezawa and Alicia Yap, the Kyoto-based company may as well release a smaller version of Nintendo Switch in the fiscal year through 2019. The April 13 report as obtained by Bloomberg read, “Although the Nintendo Switch can be used as a handheld device, we think smaller children could struggle to use it comfortably in that format due to its size and weight. Accordingly, we think Nintendo will launch a lighter, dedicated handheld version of the Switch, possibly to be called the Switch Mini.”

Jayce Wagner for Digital Trends see that this is possible in consideration with Nintendo’s product development cycle for the Switch console. On the other hand, the mini version might be in production longer if it’s meant to compete with PlayStation 4 Pro, and Project Scorpio, Microsoft’s upcoming console.

If Nintendo would do release a Switch Mini console in the near future, the original’s sales figures might as well guarantee the former’s success to its fans and gamers. BGR cited the same analysts, who predicted that Nintendo will be able to sell 25.7 million Switch consoles. Just last month, over 906,000 Switch consoles were shipped in the US last month, according to industry researcher firm NPD Group.