‘Switch 2’ Is Projected To Be The “Clear Winner” In The Next Console Generation

DFC intelligence, a long-standing research and consulting firm for the video game industry, has projected that the upcoming ‘Switch 2’ will be the “clear winner” of the next console generation in its ‘2024 Video Game Market Report and Forecast’ (thanks, wccftech).

The report states that the Switch successor, due to be officially announced before the end of March 2025, is projected to sell between 15-17 million units in 2025, provided Nintendo is able to maintain healthy supplies. Looking ahead further, DFC states that it will likely reach 80 million by 2028.

As for the competition, DFC predicts that both Sony and Microsoft should release new systems by 2028, but says that only one of them will be successful. It refrains from specifying which one at this point, noting that the hypothetical ‘PS6’ would have the advantage of a loyal base and strong IP, while Microsoft has the option to pursue alternative software and distribution models.

As such, whichever company fails to gain early momentum against the Switch 2 will likely “struggle mightily” in a distant third place. One could argue that Microsoft already finds itself in this position, though DFC isn’t committing to stating whether this will remain the case in the coming years.

Overall, however, it’s looking like 2025 will provide a healthy boost to the video game industry, with DFC citing the launch of the Switch 2 as a major factor alongside Rockstar Games’ upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI. It states that while more than 3.8 billion people played video games in 2024, this is likely to increase to over 4 billion by 2027; around half the total global population.