Samsung to Produce Main Chip for Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo has reportedly selected Samsung as its partner for producing the main processor of its next-generation gaming console, the Switch 2. According to sources familiar with the matter, this move marks a significant milestone for Samsung as it intensifies competition with TSMC in the global semiconductor manufacturing landscape.

The custom chip at the heart of the new Switch console is said to be designed by NVIDIA and manufactured by Samsung Foundry. This collaboration is expected to boost Samsung's production utilization and overall growth, especially as demand for the Switch 2—slated to be one of the most anticipated devices of the year—ramps up ahead of its projected launch in March next year.

Samsung is reportedly developing this NVIDIA-based processor with sufficient speed and scale to support Nintendo's goal of shipping over 20 million units by early 2025. Production scalability is also in place, with the potential to increase output depending on the assembly capabilities of key hardware manufacturing partners, such as Foxconn.

Historically, Samsung has played a crucial role in Nintendo's hardware ecosystem, providing NAND flash memory and OLED display panels for previous Switch models. Industry insiders also indicate that Samsung is actively promoting OLED panels for future iterations of the Switch 2.

While Samsung has long supplied memory and display components to Nintendo, it has faced challenges in expanding its presence in the advanced chip fabrication space, where TSMC remains a dominant force. TSMC has consistently attracted major clients like Apple and NVIDIA through advanced process nodes and reliable high-volume production.

The original 2017 Nintendo Switch featured a chipset manufactured by TSMC using its mature process technologies. However, the upcoming Switch 2 is reportedly optimized for Samsung's manufacturing infrastructure, making the transition a strategic move for Nintendo. This shift also reduces Nintendo's dependency on TSMC's production pipeline, which remains under high demand from other major tech companies.