
As expected Nintendo has published its annual financial reports, and the initial documentation gives some sense of how strong the Nintendo launch has been. The sales in March have surpassed expectations, though the projected sales for this current financial year are perhaps best described as 'solid' rather than wildly optimistic.
To start with the March sales of Nintendo Switch, the initial stated target prior to launch had been two million units, but high demand prompted Nintendo to work on pushing extra stock into stores. Some estimates had placed sales nearer 2.4 million units, but Nintendo has confirmed that the official figure of shipped consoles in March was 2.74 million units, beating official and unofficial projections.
For this current financial year - 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2018 - Nintendo is estimating that it'll ship 10 million Nintendo Switch consoles, which would take the lifetime to date up to just under 13 million. This is below some of the bolder predictions of recent weeks. There are a couple of factors to consider - Nintendo may opt for a sensible number in order to manage expectations, or may expect some quieter periods in the financial year in which hardware sales slow down. To be clear 10 million units is a solid number, but below the 12 million+ units that 3DS would typically ship in a good year during its peak.
Time will tell on how Switch performs over the full year, but Nintendo can certainly justify being pleased about its launch results.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 93
Breath of the Wild on Switch has a global attach rate above 100%.
Switch is awesome and deserves to sell a shed load.
Nintendo's FY 2017 forecasted sales:
Switch hardware: 10 million
Switch software: 35 million
3DS hardware: 6 million
3DS software: 40 million
Wii U hardware: lol
Wii U software: 3 million
The 3DS software sales forecasts lead me to believe that a Pokemon game will be released on the 3DS this year.
I personally think Nintendo is lowballing their Switch sales forecasts a bit, but maybe they are just playing things safe. It's better to outperform modest expectations than to underperform high expectations (i.e. Nintendo exceeding their modest 2 million forecasted Switch shipments in March).
Pokemon Sun and Moon will soon outsell Pokemon X/Y to become Nintendo's best selling game since 2009's NSMB Wii (That game has sold over 29 million copies; Sun/Moon has no shot at outselling that).
Mario Kart 7 is also a 15 million seller. It's legs could eventually lead it to outselling Pokemon X/Y, though MK8 Deluxe's release will hurt its sales.
Also, Genyo Tekeda, Nintendo's "Technology fellow" is retiring. End of an era.
@JamesR It doesn't. Nintendo only publishes the shipped units, not the units sold to customers. The Switch sold out, but Zelda is still available in stores. I have no doubt the attach rate is high (why else would you buy a Switch at launch?), and yes, there's an odd one out that bought Zelda but doesn't have a Switch yet. However, they didn't sell more copies of Zelda to customers than they sold Switch systems.
@Octane It does. Latest reports said that it had 136% attach rate. That is pretty weird, but perhaps that is the result of the fact, that not all switches that were preordered got fullfilled, while all Zeldas did. Also, some people may not plan to purchase switch atm, waiting for odyssey and overall just holidays but are quite sure, that when they do buy switch, they will play zelda on it. That is quite possible, since the game itself is already a must have, so someone might already have it and wait for enough money for a switch.
I bought the Limited Edition Zelda on Switch, but I don't have a Switch yet and won't until later in the year at the earliest. So I contributed to that stat. I just love me a limited edition Zelda game. I also bought it on Wii U, so I can, you know, actually play it!
@Octane no, I don't think so. I agree that the console numbers are shipped units but https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html clearly states 2.76m sales for the software.
Hopefully this convinces Activision to bring Call of Duty to the Switch. As much as people hate the CoD series, I'd love to have the chance to play it on my Nintendo console once again.
Very impressive Pokémon numbers.
More good news for Switch owners. Hopefully they'll announce some big titles at E3 to keep the sales coming into next year too.
And can I just say how nice it is to hear good sales numbers from Nintendo again, the WiiU years were depressing.
10 million certainly would not be bad but I do think Nintendo will do better and are playing it safe. with Mario surely a Christmas release I think that could shift some impressive numbers over christmas
I think this is sensible forecasting rather than listening to speculation. The console is solid, consumers get it. That is what the launch is proving. Now it needs to keep interest going, get titles flowing and manage expectations. Hopefull they will exceed expectations in sales but to avoid negative headlines, it is better to go safer and beat expectations. These are respectable numbers which won't scare shareholders but also aren't speculative 'we're kings of the world' numbers which can inflate expectations negatively.
Impressive numbers, though I wonder how much higher they would be if the Switch wasn't severely underperforming in parts of Ireland.
Doomed.
@Lysis It would hardly make a dent
@Lysis Underperforming less than two months into its release. Sound the trumpets, it's the end .
@Hrimfaksi @JamesR Because it combines digital sales with the units sold to stores. How would they even know how much is sold to customers? They don't. The numbers (for physical of course) are shipped, and not sold to customers. If Nintendo says ''sold'', they mean shipped, because that's all they care about. Eventually stores will sell through all their stock, but it's far-fetched to conclude that all those copies are also sold to customers.
Nintendo Switch is Smash Bros!
Got mine last weekend and I love it! Zelda and RMX are keeping me very entertained for now.
Nintendo have done well considering the switch doesn't have a internet browser, apps like Netflix or YouTube and the virtual console.
My bet is they will reveal all of the above at E3 and then sell a ton more!
Let's see if Nintendo can match their predictions, more often than not they've failed to do so in the last number of years. Super Mario Odyssey and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will help but so would significant 3rd party support.
@Octane you might be right (and no point arguing over a 101% vs 95% attach rate). In any case, the Switch console sales are impressive and the response to BotW (both critically and commercially) has been spectacular.
@GravyThief I did the opposite! Bought Switch and Limited Edition (boo no master edition in Europe) to play and bought a WiiU copy with sits unopened for collectable purposes in case it becomes the new "gamecube twilight princess"
They realised they've got nothing else to offer but Mario this year. I'd say that 10 million is still wildly optimistic.
@Yasume And when you're wrong once again, you'll say that them meeting or exceeding those sales was a disappointment.
@Yasume LMAO
Ignoring all the non-Mario games, yes, Nintendo has nothing else to offer.
@westman98 If you call upcoming shovelware, old ass ports and niche Japanese games popular, quality games, then sure, Nintendo will have plenty to offer.
I've been telling over and over on this site that I expect that 10 million first year to be in range.
Glad to see reality catching up.
@Yasume
FE Warriors, XC2, Splatoon 2, Arms, etc don't fall into any of those categories other than being Japanese. This is also assuming Nintendo announces nothing new at E3.
@JamesR True, I'm not denying that, it's just that I don't like it when numbers are misrepresented. We never use shipped units to calculate attach rates, so it doesn't make sense to do it with Zelda either. And I do think there's a big difference between a 80-90% attach rate and something over 100%. But yeah, the numbers are good so far, let's see if they can keep this momentum up.
the way it stell sells out as soon as it arrives & if they can get mario in time for xmas I think they will eaily get past 10 million mark
@Menchi187 I would have done the same if I had a Switch to play Zelda on. Given you can still buy the Ltd edition game on Switch it's obviously not going to be a truly collector's piece in terms of rarity like TP was on GC. I did at one point contemplate buying 2 copies of the Wii U game, one to play and one to keep sealed but I thought 3 copies of the game in total is way over the top!
I wonder how the Wii U sales of the game (just over 1m) compares to sales of TP on GC? I get the feeling more copies of BotW on Wii U were sold, but I don't have numbers to back that up, I'm just going from anecdotal evidence from people on the internet.
@Yasume
Nothing ??
Niche Japanese ?!
Pffffttt.....
How DARE you said Japanese games are niche !
I was one of those over attach rates, I had Zelda delivered 3 weeks before my switch order was delivered. I think it may have been a common issue.
That's fantastic! Cmon Ninty more eshop games, VC, more physical releases, more big games! ... We need Metroid and F-Zero!!!
@Yasume ... Mario kart 8, arms, xenoblade 2, fire emblem, Mario oddesy... Still other games to be announced
@Yasume
Dont be ignorant. There's a difference between balanced discussion and forwarding an agenda, it seems your last several posts have only serve one purpose- to try to spin the notion that there is absolutely nothing on Switch except Mario this year.
Zelda BotW
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Arms
Splatoon 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Fire Emblem Warriors
Mario Odyssey
That's just 1st party games in the 9 months post launch, and we may even see more added at e3. There's quite a few more great games coming from other developers. And saying "oh this game is a port" is nothing more than a bullet point argument for people trying to spin a narrative. A good game is a good game is a good game, and Mario Kart 8 is not only a good game, it has an entirely new battle mode. And most of the 10 million people who will be buying a Switch this year may have never even played it. Even for people who have played it, the game is worth buying for portability alone, not to mention the added content.
Now, I don't care if you have horrible taste in games, but there's millions of people who don't and are extremely excited for these games. And you cannot dismiss the millions of people who love these games and will buy these games and will enjoy these games.
So please, enough with the "Switch has nothing" propaganda. If it has nothing that interests you that's fine, say "Switch has nothing that interests me this year except Mario. but trying to dictate to everyone else what it has that's worthwhile is an entirely different story
@GravyThief I somewhat remember the GC TP selling about 1.5/1.6m overall before it was stopped.
With only 10 million shipping this entire fiscal year, shortages would persist, and the the immediate impressive sales would start looking less explosive.
They promised 18 million for the year following, but even this might be too little.
They clearly weren't banking on such a massive immediate success. Hopefully the new manufacturing lines can be ready before the holidays, but with Foxconn also assembling as many mobile phones as they are, Nintendo might be getting one of the shorter ends of the stick.
Everybody please don't feed the troll. If @Yasume gets a weird visceral pleasure from making himself look like a know-nothing clown on a public forum it's nobody elses job to stop him.
@JaxonH
I've seen a few people dismiss the release schedule for the rest of the year as if E3 is this imaginary thing that happens to other people.
I have to disagree that 10 million is a conservative estimate. If before the Switch launch we were offered nearly 13 million sales in 13 months it would have been viewed as a great result.
Though it could also mean they're learning from the FY2014 disaster when they got every prediction wrong
http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/05/07/nintendo-misses-wii-u-and-3ds-sales-targets-posts-229m-loss/
Needs games bring on the games!! Stop blocking devs!!
It's certainly doing a lot better than a lot of people (including myself) predicted. Let's see if Nintendo can meet those targets, but things are certainly looking bright at the moment.
More than I thought it would do after they announced a target of 2 million. Surprised they were able to ramp up production that quickly.
@Hrimfaksi some people are crazy like me. I got Wii U version for kids to play. Switch is mine, they aren't allowed to use it, it's not even hooked in living room. Then I got 2 versions of botw on switch, limited edition which isn't open, and a regular copy to play. Not many games warrant this, but as that we have logged near 300 hours of that game, I think it did.
WTH buys more than 1 copy of Zelda?
@Dakt - You're speaking my language. Are you a fan of carnie/hobo lore, pro rasslin, or both?
Mario Golf and Mario RPG please Nintendo!
A Golden Sun sequel would also be nice
@Octane at least here i still haven't seen a single zelda copy in any store
@EternalDragonX me
@manu0 Zelda (Switch version) is still available in many stores. I just looked up online and I already found several stores that have Zelda in stock. The Switch itself? Yeah, that's completely sold out.
@Octane again: i haven't seen any copies in any stores around here. that's indisputable.
@manu0 Anecdotal evidence.
I haven't seen Zelda in stores =/= it's sold out everywhere.
Amazon has Zelda in stock; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Zelda-Breath-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B01N1083WZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493294622&sr=8-1&keywords=zelda
@Octane so? i've never claimed that it's sold out everywhere.
again: i haven't seen any copies in any stores around here. what's so hard to understand about that?
@manu0 Sure, but what else did you expect me to say? You haven't seen a copy of Zelda in stores. Well... Ok, then!
It's a sensible forecast, but I fear it means there will be problems to get a Switch if they don't fix the amount available in stores.
@Yasume It's fine that you don't like the upcoming games, but saying there is nothing until Odyssey is plain up lying. If you don't like the Nintendo catalogue of games apart from Mario, why do you suffer coming to a Nintendo focused website?
But I heard you can still buy the console in parts of Ireland, so suck on that Nintendo. #NintenDoomed #GameOver
@Yasume There is already an overwhelming amount of fun games to play... it's not even May yet.
And Mario Kart is out tomorrow. I see why they spaced the releases of major titles the way they did. It allows them time to replenish hardware to coincide with major software releases.
@Dakt - Me too! I love a good, long, sweaty match. Wait... you tricked me into saying that!
It's probably the only media in the realm of entertainment I've enjoyed longer than Nintendo. I know we can't derail this thread into our own personal forum, so one last question, what do you watch? Anything local? I know the entire UK is a big WWE market.
@Yasume don't you get tried of being the wrongest troll ever?
Good start and long may it continue/
@Octane It seems like we have the same experience. People seem to refuse to understand what the difference between shipped and actually sold units are. I had a similar discussion on YouTube about that. Some are thinking I am trying to deminish sale numbers for some reason.
@electrolite77 @JaxonH
I'm still expecting SSB Deluxe announced for holiday or "Winter" at E3. They aren't releasing 2 Cloud, Bayonetta and Corrin amiibo July 21st for the Wii U version. I think they are waiting to announce it at E3 b/c they don't want Switch to look like the "port" machine w/ MK8D tomorrow and Skyrim and Zelda U.
And more people will buy a Switch for Minecraft than CoD. Sure it's a 1,000 year old port by now on a million other systems, but it's still Minecraft. You know they must have big stuff planned to announce at E3 if we already know about Minecraft, Skyrim, XC2, Mario, DQ11, Sonic 17 and that NBA game. And it won't be sequels to AC: amiibo Festival or Wii Music. Even if SSB doesn't show, something big will.
I'd say Switch has a great first year line-up even w/o 3rd party support or new E3 announcements, the only thing that's really in it's way is those 3DS numbers
3DS hardware: 6 million
3DS software: 40 million
Either Pokemon is coming or big price drops across the board. Switch is fine at $299, it will have a pack in game at Christmas announced in September.
@Maxz yep there's a shop in Ballaghnatrillick, it has Switches floor to ceiling...you can barely get through the door.
Nintendo's funny. When they shoot high they shoot really high. We'll sell 20M WiiU's in the first year! We'll beat Wii numbers with WiiU!
Then they expect to sell like 1M NES Minis total. If they say 10M Switches, that means they'll make 10M and there's demand for 20M. If they say 100M Switches that means they'll make 80M and there's demand for 5M.
@rjejr I'm surprised at the high 3DS numbers, but I suppose keep in mind the thing is CHEAP, it's everywhere, it has one of the best libraries of all time (and double so in Japan) and all the people that buy a console one gen behind are just now buying them.
And I do still expect Pokemon on it, because GF always still supports the outgoing console. No point putting Pokemon on a machine with 12M users by year 1 end.
I'd really like to know why Yasume is even still on this website.
@NEStalgia "And I do still expect Pokemon on it"
I'm in the Diamond/Pearl remake camp myself. If it was Stars they probably would have announced it by now. No rush to announce a remake of a DS game that can already play in the 3DS. But I still think they'll do it b/c they can and it's the 10 year anniversary this year in the West. And the graphics engine can use a bit of an update. Easy money for all involved.
@Blur_Escalation I know. In the end, the 2.76 million (or whatever it was) shipped copies will still sell through at some point. And I'm sure the actual attach rate is very high, but saying it's over 100% just isn't true. That gives the false illusion that people are buying Zelda despite not owning a Switch, while in the meantime those extra copies are on the store shelves. But hey, I'm just downplaying its success too, so what do I know?
I really want the Switch to do good, and hey so far it is.
Wonderful Switch sales numbers! If Nintendo keeps playing their cards right, I don't see how the Switch can't be a success. Those sales projections are within reasonable territory; I'd rather be sensible about something like that instead of idealistic.
@JaxonH
Ahh Jaxon you know how Nintendo haters are........its interesting because other 'systems' dedicated gaming sites really don't get a 1/10 of the forum action that Nintendo specific sites do. And on these sites we always have these 'trolls' that act like they are some kissed off, disappointed Nintendo fans who have all the reason in the world to female dog and moan. Hermione and Gatorboi are two of the big one I see all over always RAWR!!!. What a bunch of losers is all I can say and that if you don't like a system or game then no one is holding a gun to your head and making you buy it.
By all accounts the first year lineup is strong and first year lineups always include a lot of ports or directors cuts of top selling last gen games. MK8 is one of the best racers made and add the battle mode, all DLC, new karts and tracks and why shouldn't it get re-released to a much larger audience. Plus its a perfect game for tabletop (two joycon) play with friends away from home.
I purchased Zelda, Setsuna, FastRMX, and Snipperclips at launch. Played almost nothing but Zelda since March3. I just bought Wonderboy (awesome remake), Puyo (always loved puyo so nice it gets a tetris twist) and MK8D is in tomorrow. There have been other solid releases is well for those with differing tastes.
Overall I think this year will be awesome. I am super jazzed for the next Steamworld game as I loved the first two. I am not much of a Splatoon fan but if we get both a 3D Mario and Xeno2 this year then I will be plenty busy with Switch. I fully expect 3rd parties to come along to the level and style the have on Nintendo's past 'successful' systems. We are going to get plenty of Japanese support and soon Switch will be the haven for localized JRPGs and other hit portable series. I don't really want every AAA multiplatform game. I would prefer if devs/publishers choose creative originals and selective ports (like DuesEX on WiiU) and directors cuts. I never really put the time in on Skyrim so a game like that definitely interests me. If Ubi announces BGE2 for Switch @ E3 I will be ecstatic!
@Yasume Please don't naively think that nintendo doesn't have anything to offer - it just hasn't announced a load of secret stuff yet.
You must understand that these announcement and development pipelines are well ahead of your thinking. Even nintendo employees in Kyoto( of which my friend is one) don't know what Nintendo are developing outside of the sole department that they work in.....
Many many wonderful things are coming. . . .
@rjejr Yeah I can't really seem them wasting that new Sun/Moon engine on just a single game pair. They spent too much time making that to not put it to more use. Diamond/Pearl makes as much sense as anything!
The time of the great WiiU depression is slowly (but not as slowly) but surely coming to an end.
@Octane True, but this is the same for any other game/company/system. Thus the data is valid.
@xj220_afiles Well, again, the data is valid. Nintendo sold 2.76 million copies of Zelda. The conclusion is wrong however. It does not mean a 100% attach rate.
@Octane nothing, lol!
@BensonUii Oh yes....
@electrolite77 There's the old saying, "entertain a clown and you become part of the circus..."
As a Nintendo observer since the olden days, and a veteran of the SNES/Genesis playground wars, allow me to assert my surprise at the fact that Nintendo is, in fact, not doomed:
It may have never achieved commercial success, but I'll never change my opinion that the Wii U is/was an excellent system with a relatively small but potent selection of fantastic games. I welcome the Switch era with open arms, but I shall remember the Wii U with more fondness than most.
I haven't bought a switch, waiting for many Japanese niche games. I noticed ppl saying Switch doesn't have games, well from what I can see it has a great line up of 1st party games for Ninty fans. Even if no other games came out for it this year, it would be more than worth a purchase to Nintendo fans. Many ppl crying about to many ports for it, but so what, nothing wrong with a port if done correctly. Though I don't own a switch and may never buy one, I am happy enough with my Vita and the Japanese niche games it gets, but I think Ninty and switch deserve massive success, also hope all Ninty fans really enjoy this incredible machine. To all you haters out there, you should give credit where it's due, hats of to ninty
@Yasume Ahem... Splatoon 2, ARMS (a fresh new IP), Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Sonic Mania, Skyrim, a ton of indie titles (are you really calling Indie Titles shovelware? Right... No just no...), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Minecraft for Nintendo Switch, Sonic Forces, Disgaea 5 Complete, Wonderboy, the Binding of Isaac, Zelda BoTW (amazing game), Fast RMX, Snipperclips, Super Mario Odyssey, Fire Emblem Warriors, Shovel Knight, Yooka Laylee, Snake Pass, I am Setsuna and MANY MANY more
Games that are already out or are coming out this year ALONE!
@JamesR it's also literally the only reason Switch is on anyone's radar outside of commenters on sites like this one.
Let's see those Switch software sales numbers for anything not named Breath of the Wild.
@JaxonH
"but there's millions of people who don't and are extremely excited for these games. And you cannot dismiss the millions of people who love these games and will buy these games and will enjoy these games."
Please explain how you're quantifying "millions" in this situation. You sound like a defensive fanboi.
@gatorboi352
Count The sales of all Nintendo's 1st party games that release this year.
It'll be millions of people who bought them.
The only one who sounds like a defensive fanboy here is you. Like you're miffed that these games appeal to people? Does that bother you?
Why do you get so defensive anytime someone says hey, these games look good or hey, these games will be enjoyed by alot of people..
Here to try to tell me how I'm just a fanboy for saying people will buy an enjoy these Games? Knock yourself out.
When you throw the f word around every single time someone dispels irrational logic (like Mario being the only game Switch has this year that's not trash... who says stuff like that anyways- miffed fanboys, that's who).
I don't have a Switch yet. I don't even have the Switch version of BotW. Switch BotW was at my local Walmart from day 1, but they've been sold out of the Wii U version for weeks. I managed to get a copy of the Wii U version on eBay for $6 less than it's price in stores. These are great numbers, though.
On a side note, I can't wait for E3 to come around. Nintendo saying that they've mastered advanced game engines like UE4 has me really interested in seeing what they can do with it and they just might show off what they've learned at E3.
@JaxonH lol you mad. Again, how are you quantifying these statements? I'm gonna start calling you Ms. Cleo with all this future telling.
@gatorboi352
Do I seem mad?
Go ahead and write it down, document it, and you can quantify it yourself when you see it happen.
If saying that "major popular Nintendo games are going to sell to millions of people who love playing great games" is a profound prophetic statement to you, then by all means call me a teller of fortunes.
Question is, why does that notion seem to ruffle your feathers so much? Nothing gets your blood boiling faster than the thought of people enjoying this console...
the portability aspect ended up being way more useful than I thought it was going to be. the switch is growing on me every day an is now more important to me than my smart phone. it deserves every successes!
@retribution Is it the laptop of consoles?
@Hrimfaksi @JamesR In case you were still wondering; On page 4, Nintendo estimates that close to 90% of the people that bought a Switch also got Zelda.
https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2017/170428_2e.pdf
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