Summary
Nintendo has revealed the latest sales numbers for its home console/handheld hybrid, theNintendo Switch, which continues to smash records. Since its launch in 2017, theSwitchhas been a popular console due to its versatile form factor as well as its impressive library of games. After the failure of the Wii U, the Switch has righted the ship for Nintendo as it has been a massive seller month after month.
Despitethe Switch’s successor being Nintendo’s worst-kept secretat this point, the current console continues to sell thanks to compelling software.The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis one of the year’s best-reviewed and most popular games. Even more recently, the October release ofSuper Mario Bros. Wonderhas wowed fans and critics with its charmingly bizarre return to the 2D platforming genre. After years of strong sales, it appears as though Nintendo’s hybrid system is rising the ranks of bestsellers.
Nintendo has updated its sales numbersfor the Switch, revealing that the system has now sold 132.46 million units. To put that in perspective, the Wii – Nintendo’s previous best-selling home console – sold 101.63 units during its life cycle. At this point, the Switch is only behind the DS and the PS2 on the list of thebest-selling video game consoles of all time. The Switch remains more than 20 million units behind both the DS and PS2, so it’s unlikely that it will catch either as Nintendo’s next console is rumored to be out, or at least officially announced in 2024.
The OLED model led the way as the top seller in the first six months of the company’s fiscal year by a wide margin. OLED sales came in at 4.69 million, while the standard Switch and Lite models sold 1.25 million and 0.90 million respectively. It should also be noted that Nintendo’s second quarter ended on September 30, so any likely boost due to therecord-breaking sales ofSuper Mario Bros. Wonderhasn’t been factored in.
As part of its report, Nintendo credits the success ofTheSuper Mario Bros. Movieas having positively affected sales of the various related titles. Perhaps that success led to Nintendo announcing that alive-actionLegend of Zeldagame is in the works.
Despite winding down, Nintendo still has some major potential hitters on the way for the Switch. Remakes ofSuper Mario RPGandPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorare both likely to drive sales for the console. Not to mention, the ever-elusiveMetroid Prime 4is still in development.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid portable and home console that aims to be the only gaming system anyone needs. The hybrid controller is an undisputed success because it provides a high degree of portable visual quality and converts easily into a home console.
