Nintendo Switch Reportedly Sells 313,700 Units in Japan Across Launch Weekend

That's a really good start. And according to this Famitsu article the Switch sold ３３０,６３７ units.

https://www.famitsu.com/news/201703/07128430.html

On a related note, Zelda: BOTW on Switch sold 193,000 copies. 58% of Switch buyers bought this game. By comparison:

N64 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time First week: 386.234 LTD: 1.143.570 Nintendo 11/21/1998

N64 The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask FW: 314.044 LTD: 601.542 Nintendo 4/27/2000

NGC The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker FW: 287.346 LTD: 742.609 Nintendo 12/13/2002

WII The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword FW: 194.894 LTD: 349.143 Nintendo 11/23/2011

WII The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess FW: 145.068 LTD: 554.109 Nintendo 12/2/2006

NGC The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess FW: N/A LTD: 70.000 Nintendo 12/2/2006

Are all those figures for the launch weekend, or for a launch week?

A good start but as already stated, the real test starts now and how long can it hold good numbers. Nintendo needs to keep the spread out and steady stream of games whilst courting other developers to keep em flowing out.

And maybe release a dock with a wider slot.

Any idea how the 3DS got on in it's first weekend?Perhaps that's the best console to compare to considering the others launched during the festive season.

With all the big games coming in the next 9 months,there's no way it's going to fall away like the Wii U did.

Wasn't it 331k and not 313k? In both cases really good numbers!

@SLIGEACH_EIRE erm, this post is about the console not Zelda, are you confused?

@Bunkerneath It's related.

@Moon It says weekend...

Ya's REALLY need to note that launch sales are from people like us, fans. We'll see the real figures for sales in a few months time.

Let's see if they can be sustained!

So probably sold 1 million worldwide in the first weekend. This is good right?
313++ Japan
600++ US
80 UK
Europe in general ??
Asia in general ??
Australia ??

Well I did my part here in Australia as I bought one.

It all counts.
It will actually be interesting to know how many were sold here.

@readyletsgo Very true.

Well, its a good start in Japan! Now let's wait for the heavy hitters there, like Splatoon and see what happens. Zelda isn't the best selling franchise Nintendo has in Japan.

They really should throw a bag of money at Capcom and secure MH5

This is a good encouraging start and in Japan at least there seems to be a lot more games getting physical releases on the system which along with continued marketing, should help see good sales. Especially as it's a device you can take on the go.

My concern is in the West where there's very little outside of eShop coming to the system and that looks bad in shops as it'll be the same lineup for weeks if not months.

@Frank90 They shipped 2 million units worldwide and Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima said back in January that they were increasing production before launch. We seen that there were extra batches released. How much extra, we don't know but some reports said it may be 3 million in total worldwide(speculation, not fact). That's to last all of March though. We may find out when Nintendo's fiscal year ends at the end of this month and they release data.

@MattFox I worded that comment very badly, lol. I know the article says about the Switch's launch weekend, but I meant are those other sales figures (Wii U, PS4 etc) displaying a weekend's worth of sales or that of a full 7 day week (which wouldn't be a totally fair comparison).

Note to the Bloomberg tech reporter, PS4 launched February 22nd in Japan, so saying Switch launched "outside Xmas season" doesn't really matter in relation to PS4 sales, unless February 22nd in Japan is considered the Xmas season but 8 days later March 3rd isn't, which seems cutting it extremely close.

Also in relation to PS4 sales, which since the dates are only a week apart seems more relevant, PS4 launched in Japan at 39,980 Yen, 10,000 Yen or 25% more than the 29,980 Switch.

http://www.polygon.com/2014/2/21/5433694/ps4-japan-launch

No matter what the comparisons are it appears Switch had a great launch weekend everywhere, but that "outside Xmas season" caught my attention, seemed a little misleading, intentionally or not.

I wonder how many people in Japan spend more time playing in docked TV mode than handheld mode? Perhaps PSP, Vita, DS and 3DS sales would make more sense, at least in Japan. (Yes, I know handhelds go back farther than that, just comparing it generationally as this tweet did.)

I think the Switch will find a nice niche and continue to do 3DS numbers.
You can play on the TV, take it with you, take it over to a friends house, play Mario Kart with a random person next to you on the train or play FIFA at the pub with your mates.

The release list between now and Christmas also suggest Nintendo have learnt their lessons with regards to keeping the market drop fed with games.

If the games do come. Let's hope it sells more than the Wii u

Not what I was expecting tbh, but at least its beating out the Wii U.

And it will most likely outsell PS4 over there given the current state of home console gaming in Japan.

Me, I still haven't got my hands on one and I'm not paying 600$ for one either

Launch numbers are fine, but the next few months will really tell. Is ther a summer blockbuster? (Splatoon 2?) a Christmas blockbuster? (Mario?) AND enough cash-worthy games to fill the gap? The worst thing that could happen is for the "gathering dust" narrative to start. Because then people leave it home and the free marketing from visibiliity is lost.

TLDR: Games. Early adopters are in, future sales depend on consistent and high quality games.

Zelda numbers make you realise how blind people were to diss those 700k FFXV sales but I think Breath of the wild will have a healthy, long life on the charts

Usually Nintendolife would highlight the correct decimals behind the sales in regards to the competition but somehow here today, after 3 hours, still the wrong (worse than it actually is) stats for the switch in the header.

Stop shaking the controller - Time to update - You will need those missing numbers later.

Terrific !
Even better than Mama...erm, I mean better than Wii U.
Recipe for extra boost sales :
Fix some hardware issues + updates + color variation + price cut + announcement of Pokemon Switch (Not spin-off but main series) = Boom !!!

@Anti-Matter pokemon + monster hunter = BOOOOOM

I thought it would do better in Japan and I didn't expect the Switch to do as good as it did in America seems its got off to a good start every where and it's got some really good reviews here in America we need Dragon Quest Heros 1and2 alot sooner than later and the Switch needs an update or two Nintendo really needs to not drag their feet they gotta shape the iron while the metals hot.

@Moon @Romeo-75
Weekend for the Switch. The other consoles it's for a whole week so that's good news.

@pandarino
Funny and ironically, some people in my place are not fascinated with OMG Ultra HD realistic graphic of FF XV. My local gamestore owner sold FFXV after several hours gameplay due to disinterest about "Boy Band" looking of protagonist characters. He said that something wrong inside FFXV and he will never want to play it again. Ah... me too. Definetely no buy FF XV but I consider World of Final Fantasy PS4 for more Cartoonish looking.

Release next main Pokemon game on Switch and watch the millions rack up. 🤑🤑🤑

@Romeo-75
Good news.
That means American Love Nintendo Switch.
They are very demanding and also can be a loyal customer.
Hopefully Mr. Reggie will not messing up this golden moment.

None of these sales figures really mean anything. They sold out the day one stock in most regions (including the UK), so we really don't know if they could have sold more or not.

@Anti-Matter I like both realistic and more stylized approach to graphics as long as it is driven by a coherent art design, but mine but wasn't much of a comment on the game itself, just about the sales. I mean there are western games I wouldn't touch with a bat that sell incredibly well

Selling out on launch is pretty good, but just as some others on here stated, it has to continue throughout it's lifetime to become a hit. Will it sell out and beat the PS4...no, can it do better than the Wii...maybe, will it beat the Wii U...definitly, will it beat the DS...probably not, beat the 3DS...could come close...beat the PS2...probably not. Before anyone curses me out here, I am a nintendo fan, but realistically, it won't be the Number one system that a few are actually stating. NES sold a great margin back in the day, bringing the home gaming back into play after Atari almost killed the market. Super NES did okay, but not as great...it went down for nintendo until the Wii, which was a more casual audience (and most of them only owned Wii Sports for it)...and look at how many you can find of the Wii everywhere for cheap prices. PS2 has become the most selling console of all time with Wii in second...Wii U was one of nintendo's worst selling systems (if you include the Virtual Boy), so it's not hard to push past those numbers, as it also won't be hard to push past the Gamecube numbers. When it gets to the N64's numbers, then it's good news. Glad to see that they sold out though, I remember people waiting 24 hours in lines for the PS2 and Xbox, and I came in a store at midnight for the Gamecube (hyped for it and was waiting for a large line) and there was no line. The Wii's launch was huge, Wii U I found everywhere, so I'm glad to see nintendo is back in the game again!!!! Way to go Nintendo!!!! Now, if nintendo keeps the advertising going (they kind of stopped advertising the Wii after a year, and never really advertised the Wii U, and I barely see any commercials for a 3DS game), then the Switch should be a huge success for nintendo...but, it's all up to nintendo to keep the pace going and keep the 3rd parties happy as well as keep the consumers happy and potential buyers looking.

"Not a good start" we heard from various commenters after the UK figures came out. Biggest first 2-day sales of any Nintendo system in America, higher than Wii. Now 300k+ in Japan, I'd say it's been a solid start for Switch. UK sales were always going to be fairly low, the average person doesn't buy Nintendo here with the exception of the Wii. Switch actually outsold Xbox 360 in it's first couple of days according to figures, and we all know the 360 became a huge hit for UK gamers. By contrast, 3DS sold more than Switch initially and we all know people were writing it off by September that same year.

In short, these figures mean little for predicting the success of the console long term, but considering it launched out of the holiday season it's been a good start.

@Romeo-75 I kind of expected it to sell out in the US...pre orders were sold out in a day or so and internet sites were already raising the costs of it for pre orders. I believe even Sony didn't release anything on that day because they knew (a statement from them showed that Horizon Zero Dawn would release a week or so before so the sales didn't hurt it).

@MrGawain true they did sell out but alot of the retailers where I live got extra units and next day shipments that sold within minutes of their respective stores opening and something interesting check out ebay right now where alot of people are selling the Switch for atleast a hundred dollars over retail price and people are bidding and buying them like crazy all most everyone of them have 16 to 30 bids I seen one unit on there with 58 bids , WoW its like the NES mini , thing is most stores here have stated they are getting shipments again soon so I don't get the ebay thing.

@Baker1000 Income tax returns helped it, and with summer vacations coming up, parents were probably looking at something for kids in the cars to do...plus, winter season was here, so kids are more focused on TV with commercials, so it was definitely a good time to release it...Christmas can usually hurt a company, and Sony has a few coming out this holiday that could have hurt it. As long as nintendo has Mario Odyssey on track for the holiday (and I believe Splatoon 2 is to come around that time too), then they can have a strong holiday sales period too, but once they manufacture more Switch units, and they start coming rapidly to stores, then the sales figures will show if it will continue. Up to right now, it will be hard to find anywhere until after the holidays...which is what happened to the Wii in the US (was over a year before they actually sat on a store shelf for more than a day).

That's a pretty solid launch, though limited stock really hides a lot of what the numbers might have been. But looking at all the figures for all consoles including 3DS and PS3, PS4, it becomes clear that launch week sales tend not to indicate a long term trend either way. Bad sales would be bad, but great sales aren't terribly informative.

For a non-holiday launch, that's pretty great though!

But the fortunes of a console can either spike or plummet long after launch. PS3 was a disaster for years, then topped the generation. WiiU started great, then became a disaster.

Of those sales, how many were actually scalpers selling on Amazon and EBay at expensive prices to make a few extra dollars? That's the only thing, how many actually bought it to play it? Shameful for the ones that actually wanted to buy and play one, but in honesty, if I had the extra money and time to do it...I'd do it too!!!

@JLPick No way to know how many each scalper has in inventory. If we assume one each it looks like about 1000 scalpers on Amazon alone. If they have multiple in inventory it could be 2000-3000. A TREMENDOUS volume of scalping for $150+ over MSRP, but not a significant dent in the overall sales numbers.

The Pro controller scalpers are going to be the worst kind of ugly since the primary buyer from Pro controllers is no longer Switch owners but people pirating Nintendo games on PC and Android.

@JLPick true where I live in the US the preorders sold out everywhere in like three days even the preorders of Zelda Breath of the Wild sold out here, but I do think it's very possible for the Switch to outsell PS4 and the 3DS if Nintendo handles it right like some others have mentioned in comments it needs games games and more games as well a few good updates like adding Netflix, Amazon, Hulu an Internet browser, cross system saves, the adding friends options which they have stated will be easier actually is I've added a friend all ready to my Switch using the Fire Emblem Heros app. but the interest is there and the Switch is a great console with some steps in the right direction I think Nintendo could easily make the Switch a must have amazing system it's all up to Nintendo.

@NEStalgia

If you look up Nintendo Switch under consoles on ebay it shows 12,000 listings and 15,000 sold. This of course is just one avenue for resale. Resale prices seem to be dipping though so the scalper market will likely die off over the next 3-4 weeks.

@rjejr True about PS4 launch in Japan. It was a bit different though as it had launched in other regions the previous November — meaning potentially there was more buzz and more stock for the console.

Still, I think we can all agree that the Switch — while not perfect — is not the WiiU.

@JLPick they aren't that hard to track down in physical stores, or even online (in the UK). Saw them in Sainsbury's today and Amazon have the grey in stock. It should be noted that Nintendo have had a habit of releasing their handhelds (which the Switch effectively is) this time of year for a while now. DS was launched March in the UK (November in US), DS Lite was around June (I think) and both 3DS models were March/April. The exception being the alternative models XL and 2DS. So it's not unusual that Nintendo have launched Switch this time of year.

@cleveland124 EBay's a little harder to gauge since a ton of EBay shippers are international shippers. Even on Amazon, for example, for pro controllers, there's two different product listings, the second one seems to have mostly non-US sellers, many from the UK (where supplies weren't very tight vs. demand), and those, interestingly aren't selling much different than MSRP, so it's a more legit import operation than pure scalping.

So if EBay is showing 22,000 that have moved through there so far, that's a ton, but we don't know if it's mostly from US region or how much of it is Japanese sellers trying to milk the export market, etc. Out of the 2M for launch worldwide it's not THAT huge a dent in numbers. Nintendo stuff does attract scalpers more than other stuff, but I remember PS4 scalpers going crazy at launch too, so it factors into all console sales.

Glad to hear the prices are dipping though. I think the scalping market probably isn't going to be as durable as it would be during a holiday launch. Another reason the Spring launch might overall be a good thing.

@Anti-Matter I still haven't even got to FFXV....I have it for PS4 but keep hoping it comes out on Switch too, where I'd rather play it.

It looks fun...it looks a lot like Xenoblade X, honestly. A whole lot like it. But just from what I've seen its problem is it spent 10 years in development as two different games with two different teams, and when that happens games tend to lose their identity. It also tries to be all things to all generations of fans....the boy band thing for the modern players, the high-fantasy and castles for the long time fans, and the dystopian tech world for the FF7, FF8, FF13 fans. Which is cool...but hard to pull off. I'm still looking forward to trying it though. I think it's a game that if you spend a lot of time with it you get to the good stuff. I just hope I can try it on Switch. My PS4 feels so obsolete after this weekend....j

Zelda's going to make every other open world game have a VERY high bar to jump over though. I feel a little bad for Skyrim's arrival on Switch (though it was apparently Nintendo that wanted it!)

https://s.famitsu.com/news/201703/07128430.html

The Switch sold 330,000. A bit higher than the current 313,009 number.

@mike_intv "meaning potentially there was more buzz and more stock for the console."

Also potentially the backlash of - "Screw you Sony, this is Japan, you're a Japanese company, why release your new console first in the west and make us, your homeland, wait?" Japan doesn't seem like a very overly sensitive strike happy country to me, but if MS launched X1 in Japan first and made the US wait I'd bet some of their fans would buy a PS4 instead.

So I agree, there was "potentially" good things that could happen, there were also "potentially bad" things that could happen as well, like Sony fans buying a 3DS over Xmas instead of waiting for the PS4. Or realizing the PS4 had mostly PS3 ports, not a whole lot of new games.

And if seaons are being mentioned price probably should be as well, PS4 and Switch are really 2 very different systems.

@rjejr I had forgotten about that potential backlash. Obviously it was not as much as feared. But it is still a very good and relevant point.

And as you said, they are two very different consoles.

@NEStalgia

It was originally 2 million through the fiscal year (March 31). They've probably released about 1 million thus far.

@cleveland124 That's actually encouraging if the 2 million includes restocks planned BEFORE they increased production a while back. They might be able to get a steady rate of deliveries going better than it seemed. Which would also collapse the scalping bubble plenty fast.

I seem to remember reading that Zelda isn't traditionally a huge seller in Japan, so with that being the main title for launch I think it's done really well. I can see it taking off massively once Mario kart, Splatoon and Mario Odysey are released. Then if they also get a Monster hunter and Pokemon title out, sales will go through the roof.

@rjejr Not to mention few people in Japan seem to care about a TV console pretty much at ALL. (under 4M lifetime sales of PS4? (as of Jan, probably just at 4-4.1M now) Ouch!) There's a reason you never see a TV in Japanese Switch ads until the title text at the end!

In the West it's an awesome hybrid console you can play at home or on the go. In Japan it's an awesome handheld with a dock for Westerners to use with those TV things they're so fond of for something other than gameshows. Seriously if you add up WiiU, PS4, and XBone sales in Japan, you'd still have a failed console.

Japan's super protectionist so generally if they're not treated best by the home companies they're upset, BUT Sony's a rare exception since Sony's always been export first and is seen as practically a Japanese embassy around the world. Still, internet gamers were raging over there....because the internet is for overreacting complainers, no matter the race, culture, or language!

It's already been said here a few times. Monster Hunter and for sure the next Pokemon instalment will go a long way in pushing the system to being a major success.

DOOMED?

"A good start but as already stated, the real test starts now and how long can it hold good numbers"

Agreed! And scalpers, I don't know if that's a thing in Japan too?