Nintendo taps Samsung to make Switch 2 chips in a move that could ramp up production
The deal could lead to 20 million consoles being sold by March 2026, a report says
Nintendo has partnered with Samsung to make the main chips for Switch 2, a new report claims.
According to Bloomberg, Nintendo has turned to Samsung to make the Nvidia-designed custom processor for the Switch 2 console, in an attempt to speed up production.
The publication’s sources say the deal with Samsung means production should be fast enough to make and sell 20 million Switch 2 units by the end of March 2026, with the potential to ramp up even more if needed, depending on assembler capacity.
Samsung already makes other components for Nintendo such as memory chips and displays, but has reportedly been struggling to compete with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to make chips not just for Nintendo but for many of the world’s other electronic devices.
It’s said that TSMC has been increasingly building its lead on Samsung by partnering with companies like Apple and Nvidia to make chips for them, but that Nintendo’s partnership will help Samsung to regain some ground and rebuild its reputation with such a high-profile contract.
Samsung is producing the chips using its 8-nanometer node, rather than its 5nm node. The general rule of thumb is that the smaller the number of nanometers, the more advanced and efficient the technology, but Nintendo reportedly opted for the 8nm technology to ensure cheaper and more reliable production.
Last week Korean publication Chosun reported that Nintendo had also considered partnering with TSMC with its 8nm and 7nm processes, but ultimately opted to go with Samsung.
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Another Bloomberg source claimed that Samsung has pushed for OLED panels to be used should Switch 2 ever get an upgrade in the future. Wccftech also cited a source familiar with Samsung, who said there’s a possibility that Samsung could switch from 8nm to 5nm for this theoretical future revised hardware, potentially leading to more efficient battery life.
Last week Nintendo said it expects to sell 15 million Nintendo Switch 2 consoles during its launch window. While this would be a very strong performance – putting Switch 2 roughly in line with the original console, which was one of the fastest-selling consoles ever – it’s still much lower than projections made by numerous industry analysts, especially following strong pre-orders for the system.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa later explained that the company’s lower-than-expected Switch 2 sales projections were an acknowledgement that the console’s relatively high price point could make it more challenging to sell compared to the original Switch.
