Nintendo's fiscal year earnings release is finally in our hands, with updated sales figures for its games, consoles, and more. The report reveals that the Nintendo Switch family of systems sold 21.03 million units last year, putting the console's worldwide lifetime total at 55.77 million.
Those 21.03 million sales cover 1st April 2019 - 31st March 2020, meaning that Switch hardware sales were up by an impressive 24.0% year-on-year. The total was, of course, boosted this year by the launch of the Switch Lite which first hit the market in September (Switch Lite accounts for 6.19 million of the family's 55.77 million sales).
Software sales totalled 168.72 million units this year (which is an even more impressive 42.3% increase on a year-on-year basis). Animal Crossing: New Horizons saw particularly strong early success, although all of the Switch's top ten best-selling games saw a jump in sales.
In the report, Nintendo notes that while the COVID-19 outbreak has caused delays in the production and shipment of the console and accessories, it "only had limited impact on business results for this fiscal year".
So, how is the Switch performing compared to Nintendo's past consoles? Here's a look at every home system's total lifetime sales (data is correct as of 31st March 2020).
Console | Hardware Sales (Million) | Software Sales (Million) |
Wii | 101.63 | 921.69 |
NES | 61.91 | 500.01 |
Nintendo Switch | 55.77 | 356.24 |
SNES | 49.10 | 379.06 |
Nintendo 64 | 32.93 | 224.97 |
GameCube | 21.74 | 208.57 |
Wii U | 13.56 | 103.10 |
As you can see, the Switch is creeping up on the NES and will no doubt become the second best-selling home console Nintendo has ever produced.
Impressive stuff, huh? Do you think the Switch will ever catch the Wii? Let us know with a comment below.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 145
The three consoles with the fewest sold – Wii U, GameCube, Nintendo 64 – had the largest collections of my favourite games. The SNES also had a great library, and the Switch might get up there, but it’s too soon to say; the Switch has many ports, but few new games I like.
The attach rate of software is fascinating. It seems that people are buying the Switch for their niche group of games opposed to buying a system and buying a lot of games. It's almost 9-10 games per system for most of the consoles but the Switch is around 6-7 games. Very strong numbers for Switch, though! I hope it's on the market another 3-4 years. I really enjoy it.
Unlike Wii or SNES, Switch is full of ports and remasters - very few original games.
Also, the Switch had been hacked one year after launch, piracy is rampant. Nintendo can't stop them because they are downloading the games directly from Nintendo server. Nintendo has only themselves to blame for their ticketing system for selling digital games. The software sales will remain low.
I know covid hasn’t helped with supply and logistics but the truth is Nintendo were having supply issues long before that caught on. Switch was almost impossible to find in the UK from xmas to end Feb. I know the same was true in many other countries too. I feel they have a useful excuse as to why hardware sales aren’t even higher than they are, yet they were struggling before the virus...
Still keeping pace with ps4, and the Switch is a console everyone thought wouldnt make it to 30 million.
How does it stack up against the handheld consoles? Too bad these aren’t included as the Switch is of course a handheld as well.
That Wii U number still stings, especially when you consider that quite a few of Switch's best games were already available on that system.
@NoTinderLife Every modern system is full of ports and remasters
I like to think of a lot of the games as not ports but delayed releases on the switch... Okay they are ports. But we've had some cracking ones so far.
@NoTinderLife no, that's a gross exaggeration
@NoTinderLife It just feels like it because the Wii U was such a colossal write off.
3DS shipments by fiscal year
> FY2010: 3.61 million
> FY2011: 13.53 million
> FY2012: 13.95 million
> FY2013: 12.24 million (Total up until March 2014: 43.33 million)
> FY2014: 8.72 million
> FY2015: 6.80 million
> FY2016: 7.28 million
> FY2017: 6.40 million
> FY2018: 2.56 million
> FY2019: 0.69 million
> FY2020: No forecast, implying discontinuation
Total as of March 2020: 75.78 million
NSW shipments by fiscal year
> FY2016: 2.74 million
> FY2017: 15.05 million
> FY2018: 16.95 million
> FY2019: 21.03 million (Total as of March 2020: 55.77 million)
> FY2020: 19.00 million forecast
Forecasted total up to March 2021: 74.77 million
Nintendo expects the Switch to approach 3DS's lifetime sales by the end of March of next year.
Yikes. The comments on this site have really turned to trash. I always end up hating myself every time I decide to read them.
This generation was a unique one in that it instigated a much bigger take on 'mid gen refreshes'. Whereas Sony and Microsoft managed to take the gen and upgrade it to 4K, Nintendo couldn't really do that with the WiiU and totally started from scratch and developed their concept of playing away from the TV. So they had to re-release most of the WiiU catalogue. (It's how I view this 'gen' anyhoo.)
@BAN Probably doesn't help if you add to the problem then.
@NoTinderLife
If your definition of "ports" is "game that is or was on other hardware platform(s)", then every platform will have 95% of their library be ports.
@BenAV Same to you.
@NoTinderLife thats missing the fact that the Switch has released exclusive software at a faster pace than the other two systems on the market by a large margin. Selectively calling out third parties for being lazy isn't Nintendos failing
I don't care what the numbers say the gamecube and Wii U were still pretty great if you gave them a chance. Loved those adorable mini discs on the cube! As for Wii U anyone who owned one for more than a year ought to know it was far from trash. It just couldn't impress compared to PS4. Well that and too many people thought it was a wii accessory and not a new console. Oh and coming off the success of wii. You just don't repeat that kind of popularity often.
@BAN I'm not the one complaining about them though.
@BenAV But if you’re agreeing that they’re trash (as your comment to me implies) and are stating regret that I’m contributing to the problem, then I hate to break it to you, but you ARE complaining about it. Sorry.
@Zeldafan79 I had the Wii U since midnight on launch day but still thought it was a pretty big disappointment. Probably got my money's worth out of Mario Kart 8, Splatoon and Super Mario Maker alone but the rest was completely forgettable for me.
Well for those late to the party every game is new.
But for those of us who arrived at the start, we have a games shortage.
@BAN I actually quite enjoy reading through the comments, that's the main reason I'm here. I mean if you think they're a problem.
Insane! Cant wait for the 100mil milestone and then further
@Zeldafan79 I’m still playing mine often. Wether it’s wii games or wiiu games or virtual console games oh and also Netflix cos switch hasn’t got that yet. Switch isn’t my favourite Nintendo console yet. It’s lacking something I’m not sure what it is though 🤔 maybe like a few of these comments say maybe it’s original games. We need a new Zelda a new 2d Mario a new Donkey Kong a new Metroid then it probably will be my favourite. And why isn’t the Donkey Kong trilogy available on switch online!😩
@NoTinderLife never go full retard
@BAN go and get some work done. Complaining about nothing here! We don’t need people like you.
@Nourldean Nintendo now only has to deal with one console, no more 3DS. There should be more 1st party games than before. There's also a severe lack of 3rd party original games for Switch, the situation is no better than Wii U. They are cheapening out on developing cost by porting older games - and the reason people bought them is to play the games on the toilet.
@Nintendofan83 I am not sure what is counted as a Software Sale (is a £20 indie eShop game considered a Software sale). If not that’s why the number is lower. People have more games not priced at £50
The WIi U sold 0.09 more games. LOL
The number of ports is not a Switch problem. It's a characteristic of the current generation. If you take a look at Xbox and Ps4 catalogues, I don't know the % of ports in them, but it's a large number.
On the other hand, some people consider that games like Tropical Freeze and Captain Toad are not real ports because they were not enjoyed as they should on the WiiU, which I find a terrible argument. Other fans, in turn, say new releases available on multiple platforms with simultaneous releases are ports. It's hard to know what people think, but one point is true: the library is huge and I'm enjoying it a lot.
Other point I consider interesting: in the 1980s and 1990s, piracy dominated developing countries. People from the US or England have absolutely no idea what the situation in Brazil, Argentina and other poorer countries were like. Many players never had a chance to see a genuine NES or SNES cartridge in their lives. Only piracy. So the number of NES and SNES games sold could have been much larger. Switch doesn't suffer from the same problem to that extent.
Just think how we Nintendo fans were back in 2016. Clinging on to hope that the Wii U would get a game, any game. Now the Switch is the hottest thing around.
We are getting a steady flow of first party titles, but importantly the third parties and indies are supporting Switch also. So everyone is happy.
I’m not sure why some people are complaining still?
@ShaiHulud the Wii U sold a lot more than I expected, considering everyone refers to it as a failure
@NoTinderLife there arent many third party games exclusive to other systems either, but as far as exclusives go Nintendos Switch will likely end up far ahead of the other systems
@BenAV there's a lot more great Wii U games than the ones you listed
I don’t mind a lot of ports on Switch— I don’t have my old consoles and I never got Wii U, so I bought the system not just for new games, but precisely because I want ports.
@Nintendofan83 is the attach rate physical only? With the huge range of cheap eStore games I'd imagine the attach rate will actually be much, much higher.
So consoles to software sales indicates that each owner has roughly 7 physical games ... that really cannot be right. I have just passed 200 & I’ve seen much larger collections
@MBII 13 million units sold is a failure now matter how you look at it, although it may be less of a failure than you expected
@Zeldafan79 I miss having a touch screen on my controller I really hope the Switches lifespan can be elongated further by being a controller for their next console!
@ShaiHulud honestly doesn't seem like an outright failure to me
Still funny to see the Wii and Wii U on the opposite side of the chart. Nintendo really dropped the ball so hard on that console.
very interesting to see all the numbers, I was curious how many Wii U sold
@NoTinderLife It is 'full' of ports and remasters because many audiences haven't had the chance to play them on a Nintendo platform, since developers in question often skipped over previous consoles.
@MBII Each to their own I guess. There were some okay ones but I didn't play a single really memorable single player game on the system.
@NoTinderLife what are you talking about? You have to look at the aligned sales, not totals. Software attachment rate for the Switch is currently 6.35, Wii’s in more or less the same period of time was 6.9, DS 3.6, 3DS 3.5, WiiU 7.7.
@sandman89
Yeah honestly my biggest complaint about the switch is the online thing. No Virtual console? come on! At least give us the option to purchase the games if we choose to rather than locking them behind a membership.
No doubt that it will outsell NES. But I don't think it's gonna hit Wii numbers. I'm open to be proved wrong of course, but I doubt it.
50+ million - officially the threshold where even EA starts salivating. 😄 Jokes aside, last year was Switch's best for me, yet this one has a potential to outrank it, considering the current number of releases with a particular value in my book - and we're not even halfway into it yet! Even accounting for the all the pandemic-related rescheduling, I dare suspect a couple more special surprises might come my way before 2021 - but even if not, this will have already been the year of Tokyo Mirage Sessions, Langrisser, Rune Factory, Xenoblade, Bioshock, Borderlands, The Outer Worlds, Burnout Paradise, Project Diva and more as far as I'm concerned. Switch keeps on cementing its position as my top favourite console to date.
@NoTinderLife unlike Wii or SNES, Switch has an aspect of evergreen topicality which has historically ushered in an abundance of re-releases, all the way since OG Game Boy days. "You can't spell 'portability' without 'port', after all".
As for piracy, Nintendo DS was hacked early into its lifetime as well and still became the world's best-selling console until narrowly outclimbed by the likewise long hacked PS2. And software sales were convincing enough to ensure an astounding variety of third party franchises that dipped their toes into the pool.
I also strongly doubt Switch being dwarfed by SNES in terms of original game count, considering the absence of the indie scene during the latter's hayday.
It's not a home console, it's a hybrid.
How can you possibly include Switch Lite figures under the banner of 'home console'?
@Nourldean "everyone" being trolls.
@MBII It's the least-sold system by quite a margin and It's the follow-up to the best-sold one, how could you not consider that a failure?
If they want to reach Wii numbers, maybe they ought to release that TV-only version later this year, to hit all user groups.
And put an Ethernet port on it.
Nearly 60m and counting. I never expected this during the dark days of the Wii U.
This year is a write off for new hardware, sony and microsoft must be just a tad worried about the current economic crisis.
Although, console and game sales are up due to the lockdown, globally the economic contraction is going to curtail discretionary spending later this year, just as both companies need it to be strong.
Nintendo on the other hand has a good install base, components with falling prices, and might be able to stomach a price cut for this holiday season, (if production output can be improved). It's a good time to release games on the Switch, and Nintendo's number could look even better this time next year.
Edit: a $400-$500 PS5 doesn't sell in an economy with a 14% contraction and doubling of unemployment, that's a months rent/mortgage payment. Sony has already reported it is struggling to produce the new PS5 at its target price point, price is going to be key for the next 24months.
You should add handheld sales to that too
Why are you counting on Lite sales and still comparing it only against home consoles? Regular Switch is a hybrid, Lite is a pure handheld. And why only Nintendo consoles?
Cya
Raziel-chan
Wow, Id say Switch got a good chance now to beat Wii, if they manage to keep up 20M sales for 2020 and 2021, then maybe a Pro/Deluxe model to keep interest up.
After the disaster (in terms of sales) of the Wii U it is heartening to see Nintendo back on top (yeah it’s a company there to make money but nostalgia gives me warm feelings towards them; I’d no more want to see them disappear than Disney or Star Wars).
I will admit that I’ve not been blown away by the Switch (I’ve got the Lite model, so to me it is a replacement for my 3DS as a handheld; I mainly play Xbox One so as a console the Switch just seems weak in comparison, but as a handheld it’s ace).
If it out performs the NES it will be impressive, not sure it’ll hit the Wii’s sales level. Regardless, Nintendo do best when they offer something unique:
NES - solid, reliable with great quality games (after the lack of confidence caused by the crash of ‘83)
SNES - most powerful system, unique effects along with innovative titles.
Gameboy series - full portablity, huge library, great battery life.
DS series - touch screen, dual screens well implemented with titles
Wii - accessible for all, great for non gamers, virtual console
The Switch does offer something no one else can do. It is not competing with the Xbox or PS4; it’s main competition is smart phones and tablets and it’s focus on pure gaming and real controls (ever tried playing on touch screen tablets? Yuck!) makes it stand out. More power too ‘em.
It will be interesting to see what they’ll do next. A switch 2 or something completely different?
@westman98
Facts!
@Heavyarms55 I think at this point Wii figures are looking more likely than not.
Yes - PS5 & XBox Series X will take some spotlight away from the console but Switch will be well upwards of 65 million before they launch and Nintendo has a lot of flexibility to reposition Switch as a budget console in the years to come (I’ve still got a budget “Nintendo Selects” range on my list of predictions for this year). In short - I don’t think Nintendo will find themselves in direct competition with Sony & Microsoft (although we might see a shift in the types of games that sell on Switch).
I think they’ll find tremendous success in positioning it like that - more so than they ever have with past consoles - because the library is so fundamentally strong and free from hardware gimmicks. There’s not even anything clearly wrong technologically behind the scenes with the eshop.
I gotta be honest, I wasn’t one of the switch doomsayers after the Wii U failure. I thought the console would do fine but it is blowing my expectations out the water. 49mil switch units and 6mil switch lite units in the wild is impressive. I could see the switch lite by itself selling 40-50mil lifetime when all is said and done. This is the first time I am truly realizing the switch brand has a real shot at selling 100mil overall.
It's incredible how they went from Wii levels of success to Wii U levels of doom in a generation of hardware.
@StuTwo @Heavyarms55
Wii shipments by fiscal year
> FY2006: 5.84 million (Nov 2006 launch)
> FY2007: 18.61 million
> FY2008: 25.94 million
> FY2009: 20.54 million
> FY2010: 15.08 million
> FY2011: 9.84 million
> FY2012: 3.99 million
> FY2013 and onward: 1.79 million
Total: 101.63 million
NSW shipments by fiscal year
> FY2016: 2.74 million (Mar 2017 launch)
> FY2017: 15.05 million
> FY2018: 16.95 million
> FY2019: 21.03 million
> FY2020: 19.00 million forecast
Forecasted total up to March 2021: 74.77 million
Wii sales in its first 2 years were much higher than Switch sales in its first 2 years, but from Year 3 and onward, the Switch started closing the gap and looks to continue doing so. After Year 5, Wii sales collapsed as mobile and Kinect/Move drew its core audience away.
Nothing is set in stone in a post-Covid-19 world, but the Switch's future looks bright. The chances of it outselling the Wii are high.
@westman98 Different eras. I'm not convinced. We just don't live in a society where most consumers want to stick with the same machines for 5+ years anymore. Smartphone culture has pushed people toward wanting upgrades far more frequently. And part of the Switch's success has to do with timing - the PS4 and Xbone were in their later years and had many of their major hits already. But now PS5 and XboxX are gonna be coming out with all their new big hitters and Switch has had most of its big hitters already.
I have no doubt the Switch will continue to do well, but I just don't see it breaking 100 million. Not unless they release a new premium model, a Switch+ or something, and break old trends and release more major hitters. But it's gonna be hard to even match games like BOTW, Odyssey, Smash Ultimate, Pokemon, Animal Crossing and other major titles that the Switch already has.
I don't think the Switch will catch the Wii.
It'll probably get somewhere between 85 to 95m lifetime sales before a new console gets released
That's if they drop a pro.
Without a Pro I can see maybe 80m tops.
These numbers will take a steep nose dive the moment the other guys release their consoles.
Anyone who thinks that won't happen are actually fooling themselves into a false sense of security.
It'll be this simple. Mum has money for one console, her boys have a PS4, loads of games and the new PS5 is backward compatible (if it is). There is no choice to be made here, for her the choice is simple.
Thing is, the Wii sold 101m units and I just don't see the Switch nearly doubling their current sales before they move onto the next console.
I predict 17m this year, but next year and year after will depend entirely on a pro version, no pro and I don't even see them selling 10m units next year. Especially with a PS5 on the market.
@BenAV
And apparently others did. So cool story for all.
Why do people act like Ports, re masters and re releases are the worst things ever. Okay they may not be great for originality purposes but theres clearly a demand for them and it's not like new games arent coming out too . If they were unprofitable they would cease straight away. Everyone has a game or two they either missed back at release and want to play or an old fondly remembered classic they want to revisit easily.
@StuTwo The Switch has never been positioned as a direct rival to Sony or MS. But that's not the point. There's only so many hours in the day and people only have so much money in their wallets. When PS5 and XboxX come out, they will have to make more choices. And from what I've seen people gravitate toward the big new shiny toy a lot more than "yesterday's gadget" budget or not.
I do think 100 mil is possible, I just don't think it's likely. I could see Switch finishing comfortable around the 85-90 million mark for sure and then Switch 2 or whatever else is planned coming out in 2-3 years. That is, unless Nintendo releases some kind of upgraded Switch Pro/Switch+/Switch DX whatever you wanna call it.
@Roibeard64 I do like some ports and remasters but some developers are ONLY giving us over priced, poorly ported versions of their ancient games.
Like EA planning to charge full price for a 12 year old game...
Or Capcom who use to develop games especially for the 3ds. And now they give us mobile ports that cost more than they do on mobile....
I do like a few ports and remasters too but some companies are taking the piss a bit with it.
@ShaiHulud
Maybe they're just looking at personal satisfaction? Ot perhaps he/she looked at it from a financial standpoint. Who knows for sure, but there is more than one way to have success. As that goes they made a ton of money on software a profit on the hardware as well. And ask any company out there and they'll tell you that's what it's all about. And it's omething that they've been able to consistently do even if they don't sell a bajillion units. Which is why they've get to have to worry about TV, movies and other non-gaming divisions or things to prop them up.
I'm genuinely surprised at how relatively poorly the N64 did.
I just realized, that I'll play only in ports on my Switch in this year. Tokyo Mirage Session #FE Encore already finished, Xenoblade is next...and that's all. And no new info about SMT V.
100 millions sales for Switch? - Nah, I don't believe in it.
@Articuno still better then GameCube and Wii U.
@Heavyarms55
The people who are buying a Switch in 2020/2021 (casual bugdet-oriented consumers + women attracted to Animal Crossing) are not the same people who are going to buy a PS5/XSX in 2020/2021 (hardcore fans - mostly men - who have waited years for next gen).
The audiences will start to overlap in 2022 as casual consumers start to adopt PS5/XSX and tread way from Switch, but by then the Switch will be approaching Wii's lifetime sales figures.
This is very much like how the release of the Switch in 2017 didn't suddenly start damaging PS4/XBO sales - heck, PS4 sales peaked in 2017 and remained strong in 2018 and most of 2019.
@BAN the ignore button is your best friend.
@westman98 "The people who are buying a Switch in 2020/2021 (casual bugdet-oriented consumers + women attracted to Animal Crossing) are not the same people who are going to buy a PS5/XSX in 2020/2021 (hardcore fans - mostly men - who have waited years for next gen)."
Now these are some gross generalizations I just do not believe. Common ideas to be sure, but I've never seen a scrap of hard data that supports it.
@BornInNorway81 agree with the "too few new games I like" unfortunately.
It has some solid ports, some terrible ports, some great Indies. But let's be honest, they could have all released on any console even in the last generation.
I was playing door kickers action squad, and thinking, this would be Great on 3DS. Then everspace, thinking yeah good Wii U game,love the implementation of the gamepad.
Maybe I just have an over active imagination tho.
@Heavyarms55
> Any platform this successful will start attracting mostly casual budget-oriented consumers at this point in its life, as most diehard fans have likely bought already.
> Animal Crossing has the biggest share of female players of any non-free-to-play game on the market, and New Horizons is Nintendo's fastest-selling game of all time, with extremely strong legs. Thanks to its launch, Switch sales over the last 2 months have been record-breaking, almost doing holiday numbers despite being supply constrained.
> PS5/XSX are going to be expensive ($500USD) consoles that will initially cater to hardcore (mostly male) fans who want the newest and greatest tech.
@NoTinderLife according to Wikipedia, Switch has 58 games which has never been released on any other console, therefore you could call it "exclusives".
PS4, at the end of it's lifespan, has 74 games.
Xbox1, now hold your breath, has 12.
Go troll somewhere else!
@Heavyarms55 I think @westman98 ‘s analysis is broadly correct. Switch as a budget console will be hitting very different buttons to the brand new and expensive consoles.
Yes - people are attracted to the new but the people who are most attracted already own the Switch. They aren’t “lost sales” (although if they buy fewer Switch games they’ll affect which games find success on the console).
Going forwards a cheaper Switch with a range of high profile budget games is likely to be more appealing to a lot of people worldwide (not just “women who want to play animal crossing). So long as we know that there are still major high profile games like BoTW 2 and Metroid Prime 4 on the horizon the console is still very appealing (even if it’s going to increasingly be the back catalogue that sells it).
This kind of chart should really include Nintendo's handhelds. This is the first period for decades where Nintendo don't have 2 current consoles.
@NoTinderLife
What a stupid coment without any proof.
@Razer The Switch is all but guaranteed to hit over 100 mil man. You gotta look at the trajectory of sales. It's outpacing the PS4 now. This year or maybe next will be the Switch's peak year. Still with no proper price cut on the console yet, the Switch continues to sell at a high rate. I can't imagine what will happen when it does get a proper price cut.
I understand what you're relaying about consumer logic to the casual audience. However, there's still too many variables that can also be looked at in Nintendo's favor. There are some die hard fans out there for every system. Switch is an anomaly for Nintendo. It's crazy how it's selling. Who would've ever thought Animal Crossing would sell the way it's selling. Not me.
Wii attach rate much higher than I'd have expected. I'd have the thought the majority of consoles would be home to just Wii Sports and perhaps a copy of Just Dance
Aside, I'm not a games industry analyst.
@StuTwo
I admit the "women who play Animal Crossing" comment may come off a bit crass, but the game is selling like wildfire and has boosted Switch hardware sales by an insane amount, largely because the game caters to a mostly untapped audience (i.e. females), moreso than Nintendo's other first party games.
@Razer the answer to that is to vote with your cash. Same with the Dodgey dlc practices some companies are doing and loot boxes etc.
Like theres good games and bad games , decent sports and horrible ports. EA is a company that's guilty of pretty much everything you can list.
Think too many folk just say they are bad just for being ports.
@Nintendofan83 People say this every quarter when the results are out without looking at the big picture. The other consoles have 9-10 per person at the end of their lifespan. All the people who've bought Switchs so far are quite likely to buy additional software over the next 3-5 years we continue to see software for. The attach rate has been steadily going up with each quarter's result after all.
Lol at people saying the Switch is just full of ports and remasters. The same could be said for PS4, One or PC. As for the Nintendo's Wii U ports, look at the sales of the Wii U. It has the fewest sales, which also means least exposure. It makes sense Nintendo would want to expose these games to a larger audience.
Man, I have considerably bumped up the average software attach rate numbers on these systems 😄
Where's Virtual Boy sales?
@NoTinderLife the Wii was hacked the same way, and we can see a huge growth in digital sales for the Switch, meaning that more users prefer to get games the old fashion way.
It will surpass Wii sales. It’s already making more money.
@NoTinderLife the Wii was full of shovelware. I wouldn't call shovelware original content when it's all clones of themselves. I'd say a good portion of software sales were those type of games likely sold at bargen basement prices. A good portion of the sales were also a game that came with a wiimote which was cheaper then buying the wiimote by itself.
A great return to form for Nintendo, not long till it overtakes the NES....
It's currently selling basically as fast as Nintendo can make them, 100 million certainly seems possible.
Next year will be interesting once the PS5 and Xbox Series X are released to see how it fairs going forwards.
@zool
Speak for yourself, not a mythical ‘us’ please
@Razer
Switch and the new systems later this year will be selling to very different audiences.
@NoTinderLife
“There's also a severe lack of 3rd party original games for Switch“
Third party exclusives aren’t really a thing anymore. They’re very rare and those that do exist are paid for by Sony/Nintendo/MS.
“ and the reason people bought them is to play the games on the toilet.”
Is that a problem?
@electrolite77 by replying you have included yourself in the 'us' group 😁. A shortage of decent physical AAA games, especially Nintendo games.
The first couple of posts says it all.
@zool
Nah I can only speak for me, I’ve got tons of games to play. I’m not claiming to speak for a group (though you can easily find plenty of others very happy). The Switch has got a huge library with tons of quality games. Anyone claiming they’re struggling for games is either being remarkably specific or really trying to play down the systems success.
There shouldn’t be a surprise here. It’s funny to see people playing it down but they’ve got the basics right:-
1) Attractive Hardware with a popular USP
2) Huge Software Library with Masses of quality and a large number of exclusives (Backed up by a few more that are new to the people smart enough to avoid the Wii U)
3) Good marketing
Of course, it’s easier to know that’s what you need to do than it is to actually do it. But do it they have.
@Murbs
Yeah it’s a popular misconception that the Wii was only bought for Wii Sports and never used for anything else. I’m sure there were some who did that but Software Sales were good, even if it was just for a particular few categories of game.
Switch is also a handheld console, you should also add another comparison
It doesn't bother me. as long as there are good games, ports, original, retro, compilations. Switch has it all.
@Nintendofan83 gotta remember those attach rates are at the end of the lifetime sales. Console sales will slow eventually but big hitter/evergreen games will still up the attach rate before the console is done.
@link3710 Well said. Someone who understands the numbers. Seen too many comments on the attach rate not getting the lifetime aspect of which switch is far from at.
@Nourldean I'm glad you said this lol. Not everyone has the hardware or heck even alive to play alot of these titles...thus, the invention of ports and remasters.
Here comes the Wii chart Topper......
I use the switch for just indies at this rate. It has probably my least favorite nintendo lineup with the exception of smash, mario kart, zelda, odyssey and donkey Kong. Other than that games like animal crossing and splatoon are unfinished
@dewokkel Switch is a hybrid marketed by Nintendo as a home console first. The Lite is the dedicated handheld.
I believe the Switch peaked in 2019. 21 million Switches were sold in the last fiscal year, but Nintendo projects only 19 million by March 2021. Covid-19 and lack of major releases this year likely hurt its growth. But most importantly the PS5 and XSX are coming out, and there is no doubt it will take some attention away from the 4 year old Nintendo console next year. With that being said its very unlikely we'll ever see the Switch sell over 20 million in a year again.
Some will argue that Sony and Nintendo target different audiences, with the latter being much cheaper. But very soon the Switch is gonna look very dated compared to the newer consoles. Nintendo is gonna have to release a Switch Pro soon if they want to prevent a Wii-like decline.
@electrolite77 Thank you for defining what gamers struggling for games are. Remarkably specific or trying to play down the systems success. Although I've no idea what Remarkably specific means. 🙃
If you break down the types of games there are, you will find there are very few quality AAA games. Not forgetting that they have to be spread over a three year period and not everyone plays all types of games.
I'm really surprised the Wiis attach rate is so high considering so many people bought a system for Wii Sports only.
Remember that chart someone made of how Nintendo mainline systems have sold consequtively less, and how by linear extrapolation (if you counted out the Wii as a fluke) the Switch would end up selling something like 8 million?
I can't find it anymore. Had Mario on it with his cap off, taking a capitulating bow to the viewer.
@mazzel I am comparing Switch to SNES and Wii, learn to read.
@iWinRar There's also a lot of garbageware in the Switch eshop. There are around 1200 Wii games, on Switch there's over 2000. I'd say at least 1000 of them are garbage.
It's actually worse than Wii because those garbage from Wii were also ported to Switch plus garbage from other consoles and mobile phone.
@nhSnork @Edu23XWiiU Unlike Wii, DS or PS2, Switch hack does not required modchip or R4 carts. It just required a paperclip or a piece of tinfoil, anyone can do it in a few minutes.
@electrolite77 @Emperor-Palpsy @Nourldean @westman98 You guys know that I am comparing Switch to the SNES and Wii right? No one is talking about Sony or MS consoles, the article is about Nintendo consoles.
My point is: all SNES games are 100% original, Wii has 21% original games and Switch currently has 2.5% original games.
@BAN Agreed, why all the negativity for what is great news.? Go elsewhere if you just want to trash the thing we're all on here to celebrate.
@NoTinderLife implying these paperclips (which have existed since PSP, too) aren't more hassle than R4 cards. And the headaches that hacking a Switch creates - many of them beyond a casual user not used to swimming neck-deep in GBATemp and its spiritual successors - are well-documented in themselves.
And take it from someone with longtime personal experience in DS and PSP black flags - pirating games in the age of proper internet and full-scale digital distribution makes astronomically less sense in comparison.
Interesting Switch and PS4 got such even sale pace. As it looks, Switch beat PS4 to 50+ million units with only a month marginal.
Well, I think Nintendo has a good chance now not only to beat Wii, but even make Switch the most sold home console of all time, and only with handheld DS in front of it. Id say it will have no problem beating PS4 as Switch quite obviously got a better nisch. Hype towards PS5 and Xbox X Series X seems rather dull at this point, I don't think they will be a bigger competition for Switch than PS4 and Xbox One is now.
@NoTinderLife Fair point, then let's keep discussing on SNES, Wii and Switch:
SNES was really early in the age of consoles. Many games and IPs were invented in that time and also the choice for the consumer and devs was much less. Therefore I don't think SNES is a fair comparison.
For Wii it's a different story and probably it is one also one of the reasons, why Switch gets less original games and more ports. A pure amount of software, like you already mentioned by yourself, does not guarantee quality. So looking at the pure numbers of original games of the Wii is only one side of the medal. You should also take the quality into consideration. I, for myself, cannot say, that all Wii original games were superior to Switch, as I only own a handful out of the big list. Also, the more choice the consumer has the less profit the developing companies will make. I don't think that every original game on Wii performed well, don't even speak of Wii U. This can be a reason, why 3rd Party Devs still avoid Switch, regardless of the install base.
For hacking: I don't think there is any scientific proof how piracy really impacts sales. When I was young and could only buy a selected number of games, I actually used piracy to try the games before I throw 50-60 bucks away. Today I buy the games directly.or try a demo, but that's because I don't need to count every penny.
For modding, it's not true that you need a mod chip for the Wii, at least later in the lifespan. There are easy ways to soft mod it or use something like Wode (which was basically an external mod chip).
Just my point of view!
@NoTinderLife
Switch gets 10-30 eShop releases on a daily basis, the vast majority of which are ports from mobile or Steam (1000+ Switch games were released in 2019). It is mathematically impossible for a significant portion of the Switch library to be exclusives under that circumstance.
This is not an issues the SNES or Wii had to face.
@NoTinderLife,
The software sale are great, what are you talking about???
@BAN,
Because this article does not sit well with the glass half full brigade on here, they just can't be happy that something is selling well, and just leave it at that, sad really.
Wow the Switch is doing better than I thought, and that's great! I will always stand by the Wii U being a great system, one of my favorites in fact.
Why portable consoles are not included? Weird.
@NoTinderLife but unlike those consoles, the OS of then Switch always gets updated, and the hacking is very dangerous (also for the Wii, the hack that worked better was the one you did to the OS, the chip one didn’t worked for long, since an update that Nintendo did to the console through discs). I follow a Facebook group of people that follow the YouTube videos to do it, and they’re always bricking their consoles. Better to get original games. And besides, we have the most varied selection of software ever on the Switch, including games from the console you’ve mentioned, and even more new games. This console is making more money for Nintendo than any previous console before.
It'll most definitely surpass the NES, and soon at that, but I don't think it'll see Wii numbers.
These two message are quite long.
It is impossible to look at this chart and break it out by pure numbers. Each console with the exception of the SNES and Wii U were essentially a unique product of the times and as such these conditions dictated sales and attachments.
If we look at the consoles here are the mitigating issues:
NES: I would think most people understand the hardware sales were impacted by the crash and the acceptance of home gaming still being quite soft on uptake. This also explains the software sales since the console essentially remained the same and people looked at it as an investment. Software IP was also more unique because Nintendo was alone more or less in the beginning so ports were rare unless they crossed platforms
SNES: This console was a great attempt at trying to control market share in the war with Sega. NES usage was still high and consoles were not normally upgraded especially since younger players were still the primary demographic. You also see the software impact as well due to the reality of ports, sequels and backwards compatibility issues.
N64: This was another great console but hardware sales were slow for several reasons. The pricing was higher and the release date was only about 5 years after the SNES which came out around 8 years after the NES. In addition the polygon graphics while impressive became dated quickly and PC graphics outpaced it pulling hardcore player from the market.
part 1
part 2
Gamecube: This is what the Wii U should have been. This was a redesign based on the N64 successes and failures. They changed the media for larger game files and focused on gameplay as opposed to online and multiplayer titles. The system was unique enough that it became profitable. The software was one of the highlights as there were many original and unique titles produced.
Wii: This was an innovative hardware design that appealed to all types of players. It did overlap the Gamecube somewhat but the features of the controllers, aesthetic and marketing were spot on for Nintendo and it created a real media buzz that can carry a product to real success. It did have some software snafus in that there were not a lot of top tier games initially outside of the pack in games. This actually worked out for Nintendo as causal players really only wanted a specific type of game.
Wii U: Volumes have been written about the reasons behind the lack of success for this console. Nintendo did not try hard enough to quantify why you needed this system. Software at this point was full of reissues and ports.
Switch: I feel the Switch is nearly as innovative as the Wii but has tremendous competition that the Wii did not have. Smartphones/tablets and lightweight laptops as well as a large amount of pure gaming PC's has made it tough to come to market. Obviously they need to continue to focus on quality software and bring the larger physical cartridges to market as well. Where Nintendo is trying and not quite connecting is in the area of add-ons and accessories. The Joycons are also one of the first big quality issues they have seen. They need a redesign and they should offer an upgrade much like they did with Wii controllers. They need a few really solid accessories, outside of Labo, that can extend the life of the hardware and create new software opportunities. An example could be an updated light gun and Duck Hunt remaster. There are some guns out there but an official version would likely do well.
I think the Switch can exceed Wii numbers but Nintendo has to really step up with some more innovation as the hardware cycle for Microsoft and Sony starts up.
WOW Switch is halfway to reach Wii total sales number, can Switch reach Wii total sales numbers at the end of it lifecycle?
@BornInNorway81 ...that's literally just hindsight bias lmao. People whine about "dry release schedules" but pretty much every nintendo console has only a dozen or so big releases, some hidden gems, and maybe a few 3rd party titles. That's usually it. People were probably saying the same thing about the gamecube or the n64 (and definently the wii u).
@NoTinderLife And despite all that, with some of your claims sounding dubious at best, its selling like hot cakes and I play it more than either the PS4 or Xbone, which I also own.
oh and one tiny detail...its portable unlike any of the others.
So what is your point?
Will it catch the NES? Definitely. Will it catch the Wii? Hard to say. That depends on so many circumstances and variables that we just can't see very well yet.
I mean, I kinda hope it overtakes the Wii to become #1. It would be pretty rad. But if it doesn't? No biggie! The Wii was a superlatively exquisite system - the thing to really being me back into gaming and gamerdom as a central facet of my life and identity, after I had started to drift off towards other things in my mid-late 20's.
And I mean, it's not like the Switch wouldn't still be fantastic even if it does fall short of the Wii in lifetime sales. Sales numbers only mean so much. Hell, the WiiU, a definitive last place was still an extraordinary system as far as I'm concerned! The sales crown would be a nice feather in the cap, and it would be nice to see Nintendo's "finest hour" in the present, rather than in the past. But otherwise, what is it worth other than as vindication that the system already long since stopped needing?
Cheers!
Bizarre digitising - 55.7 is sufficient...
@sandman89 No one “needs” anyone here. It’s the comment section of a small website about video games. It’s completely frivolous. The entire thing is just for entertainment. And when I see a bunch of s**tposting trolls in the comments who only seem to have something negative to say about every single article, the level of entertainment is diminished. Why people are so quick to defend that is beyond me.
@johnvboy Too true.
@Wavey84 They're mostly alright but none of those really impressed me (besides the Zelda games which I'd played before).
@Yattaze The attach rate of the Switch is around six games per console. That's not bad for three years in the market.
@BROJANGSTER Haven't you heard the word 'troll'? You just took the bait.
@BROJANGSTER While I enjoy Nintendo games I don't even own any Nintendo consoles. I played all the games on Yuzu, Cemu, Dolphin and Citra. My point of view is not that of a fan, but someone looking from the outside. I troll the fans here when they are blindly adoring Nintendo, as the opposition party tends to do.
@BROJANGSTER Why? Because it's fun to troll.
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