Nintendo Switch
Image: Nintendo Life

With the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it was always going to be tricky for the Nintendo Switch to hold onto the top spot in the UK this month – but, given that the console has only been ousted from that lofty position twice in the past two years, there was a feeling that perhaps the Switch could pull it off.

Sadly, that wasn't the case; during November, Sony's PS5 was king – but that doesn't mean Nintendo has anything to be glum about – quite the opposite, in fact.

During the past month, a staggering 900,000 games consoles were sold in the United Kingdom (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz), making it the eight-biggest month for console sales (not including handhelds) and the second biggest for console revenue (trailing December 2013, when demand for the PS4 and Xbox One was sky-high).

With PS5 coming out on top, Switch was pushed into second place in the UK hardware charts for only the third time in the past 24 months, but Switch hardware sales nonetheless jumped a massive 96% over the previous four weeks, thanks in no small part to Black Friday and the continued demand for Nintendo's hybrid console. So far this year, Switch hardware sales in the UK are up an impressive 63.1% year-on-year.

It's equally good news when it comes to games, with Switch software accounting for almost 35% of the 2.38 million games sold during the four-week period ending on November 28th. Nintendo was the most successful publisher during November as well, with titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario 3D All-Stars and the evergreen Mario Kart 8 Deluxe helping it to beat Ubisoft to first place.

So, while it's a shame that the Switch wasn't the UK's best-selling console in November, it's hardly bad news – and, given the shortages of both the PS5 and Series X, we'd imagine normal service will be resumed pretty quickly.

[source gamesindustry.biz]