![Switch](https://images.nintendolife.com/a00f870c3b1bc/switch.900x.jpg)
The Nintendo Switch has reached a grand total of 68.30 million hardware sales, officially overtaking the NES to become Nintendo's second best-selling home console of all time.
The figure comes from Nintendo's latest financial earnings report, which reveal that the console has shifted 12.53 million units in the six months between April and September 2020. The table below shows Nintendo home console hardware sales correct as of September 2020.
Console | Hardware Sales (Million) | Software Sales (Million) |
Wii | 101.63 | 921.85 |
Nintendo Switch | 68.30 | 456.49 |
NES | 61.91 | 500.01 |
SNES | 49.10 | 379.06 |
Nintendo 64 | 32.93 | 224.97 |
GameCube | 21.74 | 208.57 |
Wii U | 13.56 | 103.27 |
Of course, the Switch's hybrid nature means that it could also be classed as a handheld console, although it still has a little way to go to topple any of Nintendo's previous portable machines. It's likely to reach and overtake the 3DS first, which currently has a lifetime sales total of 75.94 million units.
Interestingly, the original Switch model accounts for 57.93 million of those 68.30 million unit sales; the Switch Lite has shifted 10.36 million units in its shorter life on the market.
Let us know if you think the Switch has what it takes to overtake the Wii and become best-selling home console. Could it even take on the mighty DS' total of 154.02 million sales? Have your say in the comments.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 82
Ouch seeing the numbers of the WiiU. I loved that console, and those controls where wayy better, DPad thumbsticks etc. And no drifts 🤔
Crazy, crazy numbers...
I remember just being happy when it beat the Wii U, but I didn't expect it to be such a juggernaut.
@Emperor-Palpsy
Exactly didnt expect that either.
At this point in its history, the Wii was starting to run out of steam IIRC (and it still got into 9 figures). It'll be very interesting to see what figures they post in three months' time, especially given that two next gen boxes launch, but right now the Switch looks like it has very strong momentum going into the holiday season.
Insane numbers, almost 13 million and it's not even the holiday season, it makes me happy to see this company I love do so well.
It'll beat the 3ds before the year is out I'm sure
Trying to top the Wii will be a tall order, but I hope it does indeed do that.
B-b-b-but....resolutions, framerates etc? I-I-It should be compared to handhelds blah blah blah...and all that jazz. Seems like the buying public don't care about all the stuff people fight over in here and just buy it for its entertainment value. Something tells me this is going to pass the 3DS very soon. I don't know why but I also reckon a price drop is round the corner. It also looks like there's 5 times as many Switch owners as there was Wii U owners.
Impressive numbers indeed.
Pleased I was proved wrong about Switch.
It ain't perfect, but it's a really good system that deserves the sales. Here's hoping it beats the Wii.
@WiltonRoots With the Wii being number one, it should be clear that 99% of the gaming public doesn't care about technology (resolution, framerate) at all.
If Nintendo would release a Switch Pro next year, and make it a big release (Metroid Prime 4, Breath of the Wild 2, Bayonetta 3 as launch titles) they will beat the Wii in less than a year.
Y'all should wait and see when zelda botw 2, Metroid 4, Bayonetta 3 etc etc arrives then come and check the figures again!
These numbers would be even more ridiculous if they opened up a proper virtual console and ported GameCube games. They are definitely leaving money on the table there in my opinion.
Nintendo keep the fun gaming alive , shouldn’t be about graphics all about good game play , fantastic console
@AlexSwitch10 I really don't care about GameCube or VC games. I've played those enough already. Nintendo should focus on new games.
as a Nintendo-sheep since the NES, the Switch was the very first console I ever preordered. When I saw the announcement it was just completely clear to me that this is gonna shoot through the roof. Everything about it called success. The design, the fact that tech was at a point where it would enable pretty great visuals at low power consumption, the whole need for more portable systems that are always at your side fit into the time where everyone has his own netflix playlist, spotify-account and stuff that was completely taloired to be his/her own thing, it had this Nintendo-extra (like that whole weird but pretty cool concept of Joycons which by the way last much, much longer than a Dual Shock 4), it came with a great display, its interface was su much cleaner structured and minimal, its usermanagement and online service was ... lets say better than in the years before, the most hyped Zelda game of all times was announced as launch title, jesus, this was like the Nintendo-gods on the Mt. Fuji looked down on us and wanted to make us forget the struggles of the WiiU-era.
For me especially as a dad, this is just by far the best system ever made and I would also just preorder its successor, even if it would just be the same thing but faster.
Only thing I also have to say: This best thing also comes with Nintendo's biggest mistake ever: The Joycon Drift. Nintendo knows about this for years now and still its not solved. And it doesn't look like they care. Usually I really feel like Nintendo has a great quality control going on with their hardware as their controllers and systems seem so indestructible. Yet I cannot buy a joycon (for a lot of money) as I would be pretty sure that just a few months later it wouldn't work correctly anymore. This just isn't Nintendo. They did mistakes like the VirtualBoy but usually they reacted and learned. This time its really like "if we stay silent, people might still keep buying our stuff" and sadly they're obviously right. Every company would've come up with a new model that would looks and work identical but just have fixed this issue. At this point i'd even pay more. Its just a really bad smell on an absolutely wonderful product and concept.
Why is the Switch Lite (a pure handheld) being counted in home console sales figures? Nintendo are literally just making up whatever they like here.
Biggest April -September hardware sales ever for a Nintendo platform:
1) NDS FY2008: 13.74 million
2) NDS FY2007: 13.37 million
3) NSW FY2020: 12.53 million
4) NDS FY2009: 11.70 million
5) WII FY2008: 10.10 million
Biggest April - September software sales ever for a Nintendo platform:
1) NSW FY2020: 100.25 million
2) NDS FY2008: 85.01 million
3) WII FY2008: 81.41 million
4) WII FY2009: 76.21 million
5) NDS FY2007: 75.51 million
Switch hardware sales in 2020 are not too far off from NDS hardware sales at its absolute peak in 2007 and 2008.
Switch software sales in 2020 are the best any Nintendo platform has ever seen, and that's not accounting for the gigantic market of digital-only games on the platform.
@RainbowGazelle good point
Man, Switch will probably surpass 3DS by the end of the holiday season and will definitely surpass it by the end of March. What an awesome turnaround for Nintendo.
@The-Chosen-one Wii U were indeed much more solid built.
It's still great that Switch still keeps selling and it doesen't seem to stop.
The 3ds is right around the corner. It should pass it this year.
The 3ds is not a ways to go by any means. The Switch will most likely pass the Wii in 2022.
Looking at the chart emphasizes how sick the Wii's success must have felt.
NES: "WE'RE PRINTING MONEY!!"
SNES: "WOOHOO STILL PRINTING"
N64: "Well ...still making good profit"
Gamecube: "well. shut up."
Wii: "IWATA, DID YOU JUST BUY 90MIO UNITS TO FAKE THE NUMBERS???"
Switch will outsell 3DS by the end of the year and GBA & PSP by March 2021.
Depending on when the Switch Pro releases, it could outsell 360 & PS3 by September 2021 and will certainly outsell those two by the end of 2021.
It will outsell the Wii by March 2022.
Can switch beat the wii?!
Find out next time on...
Nintendo's latest financial earnings report!!!
I'll repeat this again. With the Switch being the fusion of Nintendo's previous handheld and console efforts, it makes a lot of sense to compare its numbers to the total handheld+console sales of a generation, if not they have technically gone down in salesnumbers of 'systems'.
However, it shouldn't take long for the Switch to outperform the combined Wii U and 3DS sales at a little under 90 million systems sold.
@WiltonRoots,
Yes it's a real shocker to realize that the only people obsessed with graphics and frame rates are the internet posting minorities.
Great numbers. Im hoping for not one, but two Switch Pro:s next year, in the style of smartphone releases as Switch has many more hardware factors than a regular home console. One "cheap" Pro with LCD screen and about the same battery life, just a new SoC with higher performance. And one "Max"-edition with something like OLED-display, better battery and mb something like 256GB memory.
@geordie I like your comment for your kindness shout out to you!
Switch is here to stay for a long, long time to come!
Best get a Comment in before it turns into an unremittingly tedious argument about whether it’s a Handheld or a Home Console and what it should be compared tozzzzzzz.
Sales show one thing-Nintendo getting it absolutely right. Going to a hybrid format, not worrying about matching the competition on Power, only having one system to support. A successful system with a huge library including loads and loads of good games. Nailed it.
I hope Nintendo stick with this type of console. Part of me worries despite the success, they will move back towards something built around a gimmick again. I'd a also like them to make sure everything is backwards compatible moving forward but I know that's never going to happen. They like re-selling games way too much.
@westman98
Those comparisons with Wii and DS really put it into perspective. And the Software sales are incredible.
@Peach64
It would be typical for Nintendo to overthink things when it comes to their next system but hopefully not. They have a formula here and if they stick to it they’ll do well for the foreseeable.
I do think we’ll see BC though. The rise of Digital means they can make money off old games without having to rerelease them. I also think whatever Retro games make it to NSO will carry forward to. That, things like Tetris 99 and Cloud Saves are all about locking people into that yearly charge.
Should be well over 70 million (depending on the holiday boost, even well over 75 or even 80) by March. I may be a doubter in regards to NDS numbers (like I said, NDS used to be many people's affordable gateway to the things easily found on more commonplace portable devices nowadays), but Wii numbers should be a safe bet, seeing as Switch is allegedly "at its midpoint" in Ninty's eyes. DS's sales were undercut by the advent of 3DS, Wii started losing steam with Wii U looming ahead AND the other juggernauts adopting motion controls... and both consoles were succeeded by the machines with convincing backward compatibility as well, rendering them much less topical. Switch has no spotlight stealers since its successor is still years away (and even the mythical "Pro" model would contribute to the sales of the family like Lite does) whereas Sony is out of the dedicated portable gaming market for the generation and Microsoft has never tried going there. Streaming to phones and laptops, even with gamepad strap-ons, doesn't count.
@AlexSwitch10
I’d love to see more VC stuff but it would only be profitable in terms of the Hardcore emptying their pockets rather than being a big driver of Hardware sales.
@electrolite77 Don't forget the people who say you shouldn't count the Switch Lite...lol
It will probably outsell the 3DS by the end of the fiscal year in March 2021. Such awesome numbers.
People leaving a store with a Switch: I had to beat an Old Lady with a stick to get this.
It's rather inevitable that the Switch will overtake the Wii. We're almost at 4 years, which is what would generally be considered as the halfway point, yet Nintendo has already reached more than half the sales of the Wii.
Plus, it's a much bigger deal with the Switch overtaking the Famicom/NES. Back then, Nintendo has that huge boost because they came out of the ashes from the industry crash. Nowadays, Nintendo has a lot to go up against, pandemic or not.
The Switch will definitely overtake the 3DS by the end of December, because it only needs to sell less than 8 million consoles to do so, but last year we've seen them sell more than 10 million. I bet this holiday quarter they will sell 10-12 million Switches and come close to the PSP and Gameboy Advance.
@electrolite77,
Yes, as that somehow diminishes it's sales performance, and if the Switch was selling like the Wii U it would be totally fine to compare it's sales to the Playstation and Xbox One, it's just not o.k when the console is selling well.
For me it's a home console that I can use as a handheld, as I use it docked most of the time.
Buuuuut... Joy-Con Drift. 😔🙁😢😟😭
I think the Switch will definitely outsell the 3DS, and even has a decent chance of beating the Wii.
The Switch hasn't even had a price drop yet. I can see it selling well for a couple more years, providing they've got some good software lined up.
@AlexSwitch10 for sure they are leaving existing owners sales on the table but lol this wouldn't add much of a boost to new sales. The gamecube sold next to nothing, it wasn't as bad as wii U but it definitely wasn't anything to write home about. For all of us who own it, for sure it would make it the ultimate console 🤤
Given these numbers, I really hope Nintendo and Nvidia continue to improve upon hybrid console hardware. I think it's a wonderful concept and is very convenient for those with busy lives.
It’s like Jaws heading for the wii sales crown...
Those WiiU numbers hurt my soul though. Such a great system. Didn’t get a fair shake.
Only doing this in 4 years time that is fast. And helps it's only one Hybrid model as well that is Hybrid model.
I do think the Switch will overtake the Wii largely because of it’s hybrid nature. Normally, I’d buy a single NES/WII/Whatever for the household but since this doubles as a portable I’ve bought 4 Switch consoles (3 regular, 1Lite) for my family. I know many others who have multiple Switch units in their home as well.
Side note: my daughter turns 7 tomorrow & I’ll be giving her the Switch Lite I mentioned above. She really started to enjoy gaming more this year & it will be so cool to give her her first console. I picked up the grey Switch Lite, case, screen protector, Pokemon Shield, MK8D, SSBU, & Minecraft to get her started.
@Peach64
DS played GBA.
3DS played DS.
Wii played Gamecube.
Wii U played Wii.
Switch is the only console in the last 2 decades that hasn't had BC, and it had nothing to do with "wanting to sell old games". It had to do with switching over to Nvidia Tegra ARM architecture for a hybrid design.
Virtually all the evidence points to BC moving forward, provided they dont make a radical design change again, which is unlikely.
@The-Chosen-one It drifts as well, give It time
.
Switch, April to September: 12.53 mil
Wii U, 2012 to September: 13.56 mil
What a turnaround.
By the Time of their next financial report, the Switch Will be very above the 3DS, and It Will surely surpass the Wii. People in general only want to play good Games, and don't care about graphics or resolution. The Switch Will still keep its momentum for the next two years.
The Switch should be able to top the Wii by second quarter of next year and if the momentum is strong it should be able to top the PS2 by the end of the fiscal year 2022. All Nintendo had to do was provide good solid first party games, major exclusives like Monster Hunter Rise, and perhaps some more surprises. If a Switch Pro launch and Nintendo dropped the price of the base Switch from $299 to $249 and Switch Lite from $199 to $149 and bundle both consoles with a free game like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing, Super Mario Odyssey, and Breath of the Wild I feel that would sell gamebuster sales all throughout the next two years.
@Bomberman64
Only problem with that is that I owned a Wii-U, 3DS, and 2DS XL. Yet I only need one Switch for both my console and portable gaming.
@sanderev @X-blades @electrolite77 I see your points about VC/Gamecube/Wii games not bringing hardware sales, but I respectfully disagree for a couple of reasons.
Sure we've played the heck out of NES/SNES/N64 games over the years. But, Gamecube and Wii games would be a new thing and to be played on the best current portable screen, on the go? I think this alone would add immense value to the console, not just for the hardcore folks. That's one of the reasons we all went nuts for Mario 3D all stars recently and I know for a fact that title moved systems on its own.
Port over Metroid Prime Trilogy widescreen for example or some of the other recently done Zelda titles and see what it does for system sales. The portability just makes it very attractive.
i knew it since the first Commercial that it will succsed, it is all about Publicity and the Switch made a really good Job in it.
The Wii U was in some Cases much better than the Switch (Controller Support, Controller itself, Backups of Save Data on USB Sticks, Screenshots on USB Sticks) and had Power enough to show some nice Graphics, but had much poor Propaganda.
@Edu23XWiiU
Lol serious, i still played the wiiU till this year januari (botw smash) never had any problem and had the wiiu from when it first came out.
Even if Switch sales in 2021 fall 50% compared to 2020, it will still still have no issue in outselling the Wii.
Assuming that cratering doesn't happen and Switch maintains its current momentum, expect it to outsell the Wii by the end of 2021 or by March 2022.
I definitely think the Switch will overtake the Wii at this rate. The DS?...Still a bit of a stretch, but not impossible.
@Tyranexx Sure if switch can play some gamecube games if not wii will always be first..
I think it will beat the Wii in terms of numbers but the software attach rate for the wii is phenomenal I'm not sure Switch will beat that.
Handheld are a different matter though, perhaps if we see switch pro revision we might get a bit more mileage out of it than other consoles.
You should always include the virtual boy to show what a real Nintendo failure is. I can't believe the Switch has sold so many consoles in less than 4 years without relying on a half gen improvement (calling it pro makes you an idiot)
Wii U: 13.56
Switch: 68.30
And people still wonder why Nintendo ports over their Wii U titles. There's zero reason why games need to be stuck on the Wii U.
Excellent numbers for the Switch. I think its even outpacing the PS4 at this point, someone correct me if I'm wrong. Super impressive regardless.
@ShinyUmbreon Time will tell. I'd love Gamecube games on the Switch - I missed out on the GCN back in the day - but I don't think that will necessarily be the only key point to kill the Switch's current momentum.
@AlexSwitch10
Wii games are different. Much more mainstream appeal than Metroid Prime Trilogy or most of the Gamecube Library. Though of course there’s an incremental effect from adding anything to the library given how convenient the Hardware is, I think the nostalgia for a System that sold 21 million Units is negligible outside Gaming Sites.
Wii games however. They could have a decent effect in pushing the system to the ‘Casual’ market. Though they could just as well do a Wii Mini which I reckon would be huuuuuuge.
@johnvboy
Yep, it’s all about diminishing Switch sales for reasons I can’t begin to fathom.
@WiltonRoots
That’s a new one on me. Yeah....wow.
@electrolite77,
What's even more strange is Nintendo are not even going after the same customers as Sony and Microsoft, so why people wan't the Switch and Nintendo to fail is beyond me, unless of course they want Nintendo to go third party, then all those kiddie games with awful graphics will be the best thing since sliced bread on the Playstation and Xbox.
I was looking at the attach rate. The switch has the lowest rate of any of the systems at 6.68 game per system. I thought this seemed abnormally low since a lot of games on the switch digital storefront are $10 or less. ANNNND then I remembered there are probably a lot of people like my household that has 2 switch, but we share games and for the longest time I only bought physical games (and still do for Triple A titles). That way we can both play them when we want. However, I do have about 80 games on my system now that are digital because when they are on sale for so cheap, why not give them a try?
Unless the Switch has multiple iterations (similar to what the DS/3DS did), I can't see it passing the Wii.
@rdrunner1178 True and so if you look at it from a Nintendo perspective, you're only buying games on 1 system instead of several games across the systems. Not sure how total game sales for Wii U + 3ds compares to Switch alone, but I do expect the Switch to be pretty close behind.
@Bomberman64
Attach rate tends to increase over time for any given platform as the amount of software increases. Give it a year or so and the attach rate will go up to 7.5 or so.
Switch also doesn't come with any widely bundled software like Super Mario Bros or Wii Sports.
SMH disappointed the Switch didn't reach 69.69 million units sold. That would have been really nice.
I think they will get 90-100m lifetime sales. (Lifetime being end of 2023, which is normally the length of their consoles) - so to get that they would need at least 22m sales, which would be 11m per year for the next 2 years. Which is around 800k per month give or take. That would get them to 90m, they would need 32m sales to get to 100m by end of 2023, which is 16m sales per year for the next 2 years.
I think they could do it but it would depend heavily on their games, they Switch Pro and how well the PS5 and Xbox Series X does In their first 2 years.
I don't think we'll get a Switch Pro in the next year now.
@The-Chosen-one Hahahaha believe me, it happens.
@Razer
Switch will be sitting at 80 million units (per Nintendo's new forecast, which IMO is too conservative) sold by March 2021 and you still think the Switch will struggle to hit 100 million units sold lifetime?
The chances of the Switch selling 24 million units in 2020 and then 10-11 million units in 2021 (a 54-58% YoY decline) are virtually non-existent.
All the way to the top! look out, ps2!
I guess a Switch Pro will be needed to overtake Wii lifetime sales then...
I think it'll definitely top the Wii, possibly even by the end of 2021.. I think this holiday is going to be huge for it. Kinda surprised though that we haven't seen a Switch Lite bundle that has the Zamian & Zamazenta design plus Sword or Shield + DLC bundled in. Would be a huge seller for the holiday. Nevertheless, I think the Lite + the recently released expansion pass edition of the game will sell great. Though considering the Lite is handheld only, it's kinda hard to include it as "home console" sales. I love my Lite tho, and I preordered the OG Switch.. it's just such a better system IMO. I don't really care about gaming on my TV any more unless it's retro or multiplayer.
@westman98 Right on! There is absolutely no question the Switch will surpass the Wii. Im surprised people are still doubting it. The Wii already saw a decline at around this time of its life, but Switch sales show no signs of slowing down. With next gen consoles almost impossible to buy this year, holiday 2020 is massive win for Nintendo. 80M by March 2021 is realistic goal. BOTW2, new Pokemon games, a new console revision will secure the future of the Switch.
Why are there people who still thinks the Switch can't beat the Wii?
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