Switch 2 Launch Reportedly Postponed In China

While the launch of the Switch 2 has already been delayed in Southeast Asia, it seems fans living in China may have to wait even longer for the new console.

According to a report from Nikkei, Nintendo is has decided to postpone launching the Switch 2 in China period. The report claims this is due to Nintendo wanting to evaluate demand for the new console first, as well as due to the strict regulations on game consoles imposed by the Chinese government.

This situation is similar to the hurdles Nintendo faced when launching the original Switch in China. While the rest of the world got to experience the hybrid console in 2017, it until 2019 before Nintendo could launch the Switch in China. Even then, it was a modified version distributed in collaboration with Tencent, and could only play a handful of games that were adjusted to comply with Chinese regulations. More recently, Tencent announced they had to shut down the Switch Online service in China, further complicating any potential launch plans for the Switch 2.

Posting on social media, industry analyst Daniel Ahmad shared how many consoles experience delays in China due to these regulations, and its not just limited to Nintendo and the Switch.

Switch 2 wouldn’t have launched in China on day 1 regardless, given the approvals needed.

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.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.