The Nintendo Switch had a hugely successful week in Japan last week, shifting a massive 392,576 units according to Famitsu data. This places the console at an estimated 12.8 million sales over its relatively short lifetime, which means Nintendo's latest machine has just hit a new, significant milestone.
As spotted by Niko Partners industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, this impressive total actually puts the Switch ahead of the mighty Wii in Japan. Despite Wii's global dominance in the gaming world, the system only shifted 12.7 million units in Nintendo's home country, with the vast majority of sales coming from the Americas and across Europe.
Of course, the Wii's worldwide lifetime sales total is still a long way away for the Switch. Wii managed to rack up a whopping 101.63 million sales during its time on the market, with the latest official figures for Switch standing at 52.48 million. That number came in January of this year, though, so the hybrid's total will naturally be a little higher at this stage. Beating the Wii certainly seems doable if Nintendo supports the Switch for years to come.
Last week's spike in Switch hardware sales appears to have been caused by Animal Crossing fever hitting the nation; the game also broke a number of records over its opening weekend. The release of the new Coral Switch Lite wouldn't have done any harm, either.
Think the Switch will one day become Nintendo's best-selling console worldwide, ahead of the Wii? Share your thoughts with us below.
[source twitter.com, via nintendoenthusiast.com]
Comments 61
With the next gen right around the corner, I have a hard time seeing the Switch cracking 100M worldwide sales. Unless there's a big price cut, a Super Switch, or a huge plethora of exclusives announced to excite potential buyers. I'm just happy Switch is doing so well.
@EVIL-C The Switch was clearly built to last, it's selling faster each year, made from cheap and accessible hardware. I think that the next gen hardware will cause sales to slow down, but I feel like it's a question of when it'll pass 100m, not if.
The wee Switch will pee all over the Wii one day.
Still wondering how they are going to treat the holidays this year with the new gen coming out, we could use a Direct about now idk.
I much prefer the Switch to my Wii console.
Would really like to get a Switch Lite but the joycon drift issue hasn't been resolved yet so am holding back.
Well deserved. Fantastic system.
@EVIL-C I'm excited too at its prospects. But hard? Not even close. Just semi if anything, maybe half a teacake.
I believe the question of whether the Switch will exceed total Wii lifetime sales is one of when, not if. With the system's current momentum, it's certainly possible.
Both switch and ps4 are still in the race to surpass the ps2. I don’t think they will but both will definitely come close even with the ps5 on the horizon.
It's the greatest system ever made, no wonder it's the fastest selling console ever. You the best Nintendo, none can contest.
@darkswabber PS2 had it easy, it was a super cheap DVD player. Many bought it for that reason alone.
@mesome713 true, but than again ps4 sold like 3/4th of what ps2 has in a age where they said game consoles won’t pass the 50 millions anymore due to pc’s, laptops and smartphones.
Makes it all the more special that both the switch and ps4 are reaching these numbers.
@mesome713 Yup! My PS2 definitely got more use as a media player than a game system (and I did play the hell out of that thing)
What I'm seeing now in my personal friend circles is that all the Nintendo fans hopped on year one, the people holding out got on at year 2, and then all my remaining gamer friends had one by Christmas 2019.
But what I'm starting to see now are my non-gamer friends picking up a new Switch. Most of it is the perfect combo of Animal Crossing and "the Quarentimes".
I have a couple friends with no TV and no internet in their home, who just bought Switch Lites, and my mind is still blown by this. Never thought I'd see the day. So clearly Nintendo's starting to expand beyond their core market. If they can tap in to that WiiSports/WiiFit demographic, then the Switch could very well be the highest selling platform ever.
@mesome713 I wouldn't call the switch the greatest system ever, though out of all Nintendos game systems the switch does have the best games and still has atleast 3 more years for even more great games.
Fantastic, being a handheld hybrid helps
The switch will clearly reach the wii sales which is helped by having the lite and the original catering to both handheld and console players whilst the Wii only catered to the console players
And the future prospect of a switch pro to even further boost sales
But first of all they need to sort out thsi stock shortage, this coronavirus surely doesn't help either
Closing in on the NES
I'm sure it wil eclipse the NES easily
Wii was in the market at the same time as the DS. Comparison of sales against DS figures would be more appropriate I feel. But ultimately, as a hybrid, comparison with a home console or a portable is limited.
Amazing news. Switch is the best system since the SNES for me.
@darkswabber Beating the PS2 is a tall order, but I think the Switch can at least manage to surpass the Wii. Being a hybrid helps. Instead of a dedicated handheld drawing off sales, it's got a handheld-only variant in the Switch Lite. Not everyone double dipped on Nintendo consoles and handhelds in the past, but with the Switch you can get both in one, or just the handheld if that's your thing and that'll really help sales in the long run, especially when we get to the point that the price starts dropping.
The Switch shouldn't be compared to home consoles. It's a handheld.
NintenDoomed fandoms like to rain on Switch sucess. Now that E3 is over with xbox/psx can't do any high flying sales.
How long will it take for Switch to transition from "coveted" to "door stop"?
@EVIL-C
Honestly, with the way things are going, I think next gen consoles should worry about themselves more than Nintendo should worry about them.
I don't know about the rest of the world, but here in the US, the economy has been absolutely tanking, with unemployment levels look to be Great Depression-esque. Both the PS5 and XBSX will still sell incredibly well during their first few months as hardcore fans upgrade their hardware, but there could be some issue selling $500+ consoles among casual gamers in 2021/2022 (compared to how much the PS4/XBO sold in 2014/2015).
The Switch Lite will be particularly well positioned for the holidays if it is part of a decent Black Friday deal.
“Mark my words, the Nintendo Switch will fail.”
Sligeach_Eire, 2016.
@mesome713 me and all my mates had a PS2, we had more DVD’s than games on it....... it was a cheap DVD player that could also play games, Christ even my dad had one but never played games on it.
Wii was a beautiful console, but Switch is absolutely fantastic, conceptually definitive and much more gamer-centric.
should've packed in a wii sports port
@Nathair gamer centric, has a ir camera but weak sticks
@westman98 People won't be as concerned with gaming if unemployment skyrockets that high. Switch sales would also suffer.
@WiltonRoots
Hahaha, even after banning, that fool is still felt around here. AFAIK he trolls GoNintendo now.
@Lordplops You are, perhaps, a bit obsessed with the toilet humour?
@WiltonRoots oh man I haven't seen that name for so long, almost forgot he existed. Thank God they banned him, place is a lot less miserable even though there are still plenty of trolls around
@darkswabber Don't you know that we are obligated to mindlessly adopt the newest and shiniest new technology, every time? Smartphones are clearly superior to consoles for gameplay, we both know that
@ancientlii Unfortunately that is something I know well. I sent my joy-cons to repair twice in three years.
@EVIL-C
Sales of expensive consumer products will suffer in a global recession/depression. Cheaper products (like the Switch Lite) will suffer much much less, especially if it's part of a good holiday deal.
@westman98 Thanks for pointing out the obvious. I couldn't care less if Switch gets to 100M or not. This all comes down to the pandemic getting under control. That's my immediate concern.
@EVIL-C nope he got banned from there too! He was getting torn a new one nearly every day!
@gortsi yep new ones seem to take their place all the time, there’s some real obnoxious people in here still sadly.
@WiltonRoots ROFL, that is hilarious. Though I'm still angered that I got banned from GN BECAUSE I would call out his BS. Let that be a lesson to know when to just walk away. 😔 It was so hard to ignore his toxicity.
I don't understand some people's thinking when it comes to this console war stuff. The Switch certainly doesn't exist in a vacuum and Nintendo needs to keep their eyes on the competition at all times, but I'm only becoming more and more convinced over time that Nintendo knows exactly what they're doing here.
The two big cash cows for Nintendo have always been their in-house properties like Mario, Zelda, etc. and their handheld hardware. They've had hugely successful TV-connected consoles too, but to me the bigger sales story always seems to be the GameBoy/DS sales.
Now they have the Switch, which is all their strengths wrapped up into one machine and only accelerates in sales even as customers know there is new hardware coming down the pipeline in a few months. I think the Switch is just the more interesting machine to a lot of people, and it has the advantage of being the only machine that plays Nintendo games.
The missing piece of the puzzle here is what the new software is going to be this year. I don't believe for a second that they don't have big plans to fight off any slowdown in hardware sales due to next gen machines coming out.
If the Switch sells-in 18-20 million units in CY 2020, then the possibility of it surpassing the Wii's cumulative lifetime sales will go from "likely" to "certainty."
As a point of reference, the Switch sold-in 20.2 million units in CY 2019.
It's fine, Wii plays Melee, the Switch will never quite reach those heights.
But neither can play Hotel Dusk and that is a big problem.
3 years is long enough to go ahead and overhaul the OG Switch with a DS Lite/PS4 Slim redesign for the flagship:
@Desrever
Speaking of, Nintendo should finally make a follow-up to Wii Sports and just call it Mii Sports. They could even bundle it with new Switch models.
@EVIL-C Nothing cries out to me that the PS5 and XB-S are big mainstream products. We've reached a point where raw power is having diminishing returns, and those consumers that do care about the finer points are becoming a niche market segment.
The only reason people will upgrade is simply because Sony and MS will stop supporting the previous platforms - no other reason.
That's great, hopefully Nintendo announces more games soon cause right now my Switch is taking dust
I can't stop smiling for Nintendo 😁
@EVIL-C 3DS managed to reach 75 million, alongside 8th gen consoles.
Im pretty sure Switch will have longer legs than we believe! It does not seem willing to stop... With a newer version when that is needed, continuous support and games, new and remained ports, switch is going to be the best ever (Ninty) console Well that hybrid miracle ... is incomparable!
It's a little bit of guess work but Switch is probably at around 55 million sales now almost exactly 3 years from launch. Wii in its first 3 years sold in the region of 65 million, Wii also benefitted from a Christmas launch which will have spiked its sales a touch.
I think the Switch will beat Wii in the long run, I think it's got more longevity as a games console and it isn't just a gimmick which Wii really was.
I also think we are yet to see the best of Switch, it still feels like a console in its infancy to me and if we are looking at a 7 year cycle for it, it isn't even half way through its life yet.
I love my Switch and think it's the best gaming device on the market and will remain so even after PS5 and XboxX are released.
That said - I'm a realist too. I know most people do not share that opinion. They need their yearly COD and the GTA fix.
you should combine wii and ds sales and compare them to switch. switch replaced the traditional 2 system policy of nintendo. if you do that, then it actually looks rather poor tbh.
Never liked the Wii. Once the Wii Sports fad ended and I played Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, it was only used for VC. Hope the Switch surpasses it. It's my favorite console of all time.
@Ulysses I would love if they did a Mii Sports. But it seems like they've let the whole Mii ecosystem die. I had a bunch of Miis made up to look like my friends and coworkers, and it was funny to see them in Smash, Miitopia, M&S at the Olympics, Nintendoland, etc. But once the Switch was out, that all ended.
Nice. I have also PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Game Boy and Game Boy Color
: D
@mesome713 I love Nintendo, but the PS2 had some pretty great stuff you can't find anywhere during that time. Unfortunately, Sony does not take care of its IPs. Where's that family build up that Nintendo has. Ratchet Clank, Sly, and Daxter could have been the face of the system along with Ray Man, Crash, and Spyro. But they got licensed out and Sony remains faceless. Many would argue that is not important but nostalgia can be a real hook to bring new generations in.
Wii sales by calendar year:
2006: 3.19 million (Nov launch)
2007: 16.94 million
2008: 24.83 million
2009: 22.49 million
2010: 17.19 million
2011: 10.33 million
2012: 4.41 million
2013 and beyond: 2.25 million
Switch sales by calendar year:
2017: 14.86 million (Mar launch)
2018: 17.41 million
2019: 20.21 million
2020: ???
Wii sales during its first 2 full years (2007 + 2008) were considerably stronger than Switch sales during its first 2 years (2017 + 2018), but their respective 3rd years had similar sales. Switch sales are currently up YoY in Q1 2020, so the trend looks good for now in its 4th year.
That the Wii only sold 12 million in Japan sort of amazes me as well. Next stop is surpassing Super Famicom sales which are at 17 million.
@WiltonRoots I don't get it mate!
@WiltonRoots done!
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