In a bit of news that will certainly be disappointing for our fellow gamers overseas, a new report from Nikkei has stated that Nintendo has chosen not to launch the Switch 2 in China just yet. According to the outlet, Nintendo has chosen to forgo a launch in the region as it wants to evaluate the demand for the console first. There are also strict government regulations that crop up when trying to launch gaming devices in China, something that has hindered every console release there since the console ban was lifted in 2015.
For extra context, the original Switch did not launch in China until 2019, more than two years after its global release. Nintendo partnered with Tencent to bring the device to the region, and the console was specifically branded with a Tencent logo. While the device has mostly been successful, Nintendo announced late last year that it would begin shuttering its online eShop in China with a closure date of March 31st, 2026. This may be part of the reason the Nintendo Switch 2 won’t be releasing in the next few months there.
Chinese industry analyst Daniel Ahmad also gave some extra context on Bluesky. “Switch 2 wouldn’t have launched in China on day 1 regardless, given the approvals needed,” he wrote. “Just to give a reference point. It took nearly 3 years for Nintendo to officially launch Switch in China last gen. 2 years for PS4, and around 6 months for PS5. Part of that is approvals/regulations, part of that is finding a suitable partner, part of that is demand.”
While gaming consoles seem synonymous with gaming to people in the United States, different parts of the world aren’t the same. In South East Asia, specifically, mobile gaming has a much bigger foothold and free-to-play games tend to dominate local gaming charts. PC gaming has also been on the rise in the last decade thanks to the popularity of titles such as League of Legends and Genshin Impact. Consoles can find niches, but they tend to not be the first choice when it comes to getting a gaming fix.
While this news isn’t as doom and gloom as the US having its pre-orders delayed due to the ever-increasing Trump tariffs, it still stings as gamers in China will have to wait before getting the chance to experience the next generation of Nintendo hardware.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
