With the arrival of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, the Nintendo Switch and even the newer Nintendo Switch OLED appear to be underpowered, but according to Nintendo's latest discussions with investors, those hoping that this means a successor is imminent are likely to be sorely disappointed.

While it is unlikely that any official hardware will be announced at the earnings call, Nintendo did post one slide that mentions a successor to the Switch. However, with a release date of "20XX," the Nintendo Switch 2 could theoretically appear anytime up to 2099, which does not narrow down the exact release date.

In a subsequent Q&A transcribed by analyst David Gibson, the company did not draw out further what this means, saying only that the Switch is in "the middle stage of (its) cycle."

Since the Switch is set to celebrate its fifth birthday in March 2022, taking these words completely literally would mean that whatever Nintendo is planning next may not appear before 2025. Obviously, the term "in the interim" is quite flexible, so it could probably be a year back or forth either way.

Is that plausible? Based on past examples, probably not. Handheld consoles (a relevant data point here, given the Switch's hybrid design) have been less consistent, with only three years between the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS, but seven years between the DS and 3DS.

Nor does the middling lifespan of hardware mean that it cannot coexist with its successors. Nintendo officially discontinued the Wii in 2012 in an ill-fated attempt to push the doomed Wii U, but continued to produce the Wii Mini for years afterward.

There is also the question of what is happening with the Nintendo Switch Pro, which has long been rumored to be a version with a faster chip for docking 4K support. In the end, Nintendo did produce a new premium version of the hardware, but the main selling point was the OLED screen, not the faster internals.

Whether that was always the plan, or whether 4K support was intended but scrapped due to chip shortages, is something we will never know. However, it is reported that many developers were sent 4K development tools, and if that was not for the Switch Pro, it is always possible that it was for the Switch 2, or whatever its successor will eventually be called. If so, then 2023 may be a more realistic prospect.