Nintendo Switch 2 Races To Astonishing Sales Record Outpacing Early Reports
Folks, it's official—the Switch 2 is Nintendo's fastest-selling console of all time with more than 3.5 million units sold in the four days following its June 5 launch. Nintendo revealed the staggering stat in a press release, which follows an earlier, unofficial report that Nintendo sold more that 3 million Switch 2 systems in the first 24 hours alone, making it the most successful console launch of all time (Nintendo or otherwise).
Nintendo has not confirmed the 24-hour sales figure, but it's certainly plausible, given the official four-day tally topping 3.5 million units worldwide.
"Fans around the world are showing their enthusiasm for Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded way to play at home and on the go," said Nintendo of America President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Bowser. "We are thankful for their response and happy to see the fun they are already having with Nintendo Switch 2 as they explore new features and games that bring friends and family together in new ways."
The sales frenzy follows months of hype and anticipation, as well as a barrage of leaks and rumors that date back even further. It's also not unexpected—the original Switch lineup (Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite) has notched over 152 million units sales to date, making it Nintendo's second-best selling console of all time, behind only the Nintendo DS at 154 million units. It's also well ahead of the venerable Wii, which sold 101.63 million units.
It will be interesting to see if the hugely successful launch prompts Nintendo to adjust its first-year sales forecast. Just a few weeks ago, Nintendo revealed in its latest earnings disclosure that it anticipates selling 15 million Switch 2 consoles in its debut year. It also said it expects Switch 2 software sales to reach 45 million units in the first year.
While some felt the sales estimate was a conservative figure, it would be on par and even a little better than how the original Switch performed, which achieved 14.87 million unit sales it its debut year. Now with more than 3.5 million units having already been sold, the Switch 2 is poised to sail past Nintendo's first-year expectations, if it can maintain momentum heading into the holiday shopping season and beyond.
We feel there is a good chance demand will remain high, especially as game developers flesh out the Switch 2's comparatively meager ecosystem. Backwards compatibility with many Switch 1 titles helps, and it's likely that we will see console refreshes as time goes on—Switch 2 OLED, anyone?—as well as specially-themed console iterations.
