UK Charts: Nintendo Switch 2 Annihilates The Competition In Its Debut Week

"Hogwarts Legacy takes second place, though oddly enough, Switch 2 sales actually lag behind Switch 1 and PS5."

I'd guess that buying the Switch version + 10£ upgrade is cheaper than buying the Switch 2 version

What surprised me was seeing an EA Sports game selling most on a Nintendo console, what universe is this?!

Crazy how Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still only just outside top 10, expected to be down to around the 20-30 range.

Seeing Bravely Default in 8th is unexpected but absolutely great to see.

@mariomaster96 there are millions of switch 1 consoles in uk and not that many switch 2 consoles..same with ps5.

i expect to see a lot of smaller numbers going forward of switch 2 game sales of key cards if the same game is available and has a switch 1 version that can be patched for switch 2...

It’s looking like the Switch is going to sell twice as many units as the PS5 which is amazing!

Street Fighter 6 is there too! I bought it at launch as well, and I have to say I've been having a blast with it. More so than with Mario Kart World. Which doesn't mean MKW isn't a great game, but I've been waiting for ages to finally be able to play SF6.

Glad to see Rune Factory up there, even if it is just outside the top ten - Feels like a long time ago where we all thought the series was dead and buried post RF4

@johnedwin And here I though that the Switch 2 outsold the Switch in just 4 days

Jokes aside, yes while there are probably quite a lot people who actually bought HL for their Switch I still think that people bought the Switch version to upgrade to the Switch 2 version.

For example I could buy a brand new copy for the Switch for 35€ and upgrade for 10€, or I could buy the Switch 2 version for 55€. The former saves me 10€

@Spaceman44 They are talking about the sales of Hogwarts Legacy on those plattforms, not the actual console sales themself

@Ichiban

It’s a launch title. It helps that there’s not many games to play at launch.

@mariomaster96 oops my bad

Seeing Street Fighter 6 high on top 10 like this is a proof that the average consumer doesn't care about Game Key Card, physical card or whatsoever is happening on the internet.

So disappointed not to see FAST Fusion getting the love it deserves

@Khwarezm89 Of course they don't, because it makes absolutely no difference to how they play the game. With game key cards you can buy them from a shop (so potentially cheaper) and you can sell them on when you are done (like any cart). The only scenarios where they are a problem are for people without internet (practically no one) or a potential scenario 30 years in the future if you decide to boot it up and Nintendo have turned off the server.

The whole thing is a storm in a teacup.

@BaldB3lper78 This is a physical only chart, Fast Fusion is download only so will not appear here. Mario Kart is top because the console bundles with Mario Kart download included still counts as physical.

@GrailUK

Doubt it will do well like Switch 1 did for few reasons.

@Ooccoo_Jr TBH I got it day one physical (Game Key Card) too because I don't think in 30 years or so I'll still be playing it.

@Khwarezm89

More like there’s almost nothing to play on launch so titles like Street Fighter get extra boost because of that.

I'm so happy that 3rd party games like SF6, Cyberpunk, Yakuza, and Split Fiction, sold great.

@jolteon23 Correct, director’s cut is currently only on Switch 2

@Spaceman44 Well if that's the case then they go buy it digital to boycott the Game key card but this chart shows the physical sales.

@Khwarezm89

Like i said, Street Fighter get extra boost because lack of titles at launch.

Mario kart brings the oldskool joy on my face.

That is a thing of beauty! Love to see it

@chapuH my daughter’s boyfriend bought MK8D last week! I put him on my family Nintendo account and we’ve been having a blast playing online this past week 😊

Seems Sega's no upgrade path for Sonic X Shadow Generations kinda paid off.

Hahaha we will see insane sales and broken records in the coming months and the select few will continue spouting the same "this will sell poorly" nonsense.

Grow up, folks.

@Khwarezm89 I think you're right. It's probably the echo room of this website that has a large group of people who are opposed to it. But I mean, look at the sales numbers of Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, too. The average consumer doesn't care that much.

@Spaceman44 well I was talking about launch but your post is meaningless without giving those reasons 😀

It's safe to say that the Switch 2 is off to a strong start, but will it be able to keep up this momentum? Gonna have to wait and see on that front.

And seeing game key card games doing well is actually immensely disappointing, but hey, so long as the people buying them are enjoying them, then more power to them! I just fear for what it will mean for the future of gaming. And my personal Switch 2 specific catalog will probably be rather thin as a result of this, I imagine.

Great to see that Third party games are doing this good on the NS2.

I just bought No mans sky, what a great game! Beautiful.

When i get my salary i will also get Street fighter and cyberpunk.

It's surprising to see Switch versions over Switch 2 in some cases, but I guess they're Switch 2 adopters looking for the upgrades? Maybe trying to avoid Game Key Cards? Not in SF6's case, though. It has been a huge success, people clearly moved on and accepted this ugly new industry change.

But EA Sports FC 25 is selling that well with the season finished? That is surprising.

@Ooccoo_Jr good point. Cheers

So sad that Fantasy Life I is nowhere to be seen in these charts.

@Ooccoo_Jr I think it’s definitely a blow for physical collectors but still, it is better than download codes which would have been the preferred option for third parties if Nintendo never budged on offering only 64GB cards for proper physical options.

To be honest it’s not too surprising that Nintendo have taken this route considering they’re not the first. There have been games since the PS4 that come with little more than a digital license on the disc and require you to download the whole thing. Not to say Nintendo are in the right for going down this route but they’re catching a lot of flack for something that Sony and Microsoft have allowed for years and didn’t get much public outcry for at all.

@GrailUK Then my bad lok

@larryisaman Exactly, perfectly said.

@Jack_Goetz It was a terrible decision by Sega. Still, it's surprising that it's charted so low. A top quality Sonic game at launch with no Nintendo platformers to compete with it, should have been a winner. I bet a good few decided not to buy it as a matter of principle.

Remember people, these are PHYSICAL sales.

People buying gamekeycards are the only ones on this list

@Spaceman44 Many were saying the Switch wouldn't do well for a variety of reasons, from its reveal up till a few months after it launched. Many tech sites were predicting the same. Just have to go back and look at the comments under NL articles from 2017. Then the end of year sales come through and it was clear the Switch was going to be a success. And it never let up from there.

I just can't see how Switch 2 will be anything but a success. It may not sell as much as the original but it will sell enough to be regarded a success. Switch sales have dipped slightly over the last few months but they've remained strong right through its life. OLED sales were also strong. All their 1st games sell in the millions. And with Switch, they've found a formula of publishing at least 1 game a month. This will likely continue on Switch 2.

Nintendo are at the top of their game right now. The Zelda and Mario brands have never been bigger. Their movies are successful, they have a theme park. Again, I just can't see how they can fail.

@JohnnyMind It will be interesting to compare GameKey sales to Eshop sales in a few months. If that data is ever released... Perhaps digital sales will be lower than expected, as some opt for the GameKey version instead. Or perhaps it'll go the other way and those who would have preferred a proper physical release, decide to just buy it from the Eshop instead and save some cash.

I suspect it'll be the latter.

@OorWullie

“ Nintendo are at the top of their game right now. ”

Yes and that explains the arrogant behaviour from them lately.

That being said we’ll see what happens when honeymoon phase is over. What was successful in the past doesn’t mean automatically successful in the future

@Khwarezm89 Thank god. If real life was as crazy as it is on here or the internet in general, it wouldn't be worth living.

Are those Mario kart world numbers just the physical version or is it a mix of the consoles sold too?

@OorWullie Absolutely. I think Sega could have potentially earned more from providing an upgrade path seeing as the original version sold so well on Switch. Hopefully, it was just testing the waters. Maybe an upgrade option will be provided at a later date?

Strange, no Fast Fusion at all? 🤔

mental how nearly half of the list the games are either first party nintendo or third party in the chart because of their switch sales. the idea that Playstation is more important in gaming than nintendo is mad. Nintendo basically is gaming.

MK8 will fall off after this week, right? Oh, the poor parents who buy that game for their kids over MK World thinking they got a discount deal

@Moroboshi876 Nintendo likely couldn’t make a smaller cartridge (or cheap enough). Rather than "code in a box," they made the Game Key card to create a bridge.

It’s not really different than what happens on PlayStation and Xbox. Most of your major titles don’t have the entire game on disc. Madden 26 will be a full download on all platforms.

Lol, where are the "boycott Nintendo" people now ? 🥸

@Axecon
Still a very very good game.
Even if a decade old

@tsim21
And yet SquareEnix still sides with Sony.
Idijots

@Johnny44
I knew I shoulda bought more copies 😸
FastFusion is amazing

@progx I know the reason why they do this, and certainly other platforms are starting to do the same, such as with Doom Dark Ages, which is not user-friendly, of course.

What I'm saying is that I guess people are buying Switch 1 versions now because they at least know they have the game inside the card, although the update has to be downloaded.

I think it's all about opinions, but we can still agree that code in a box and game key cards are not the same, but very very close.

@Moroboshi876 Game Key still gives the user a chance to trade it in. I think Nintendo insists everyone buy the 64GB card, but they can't force companies to do it. Hopefully, as time goes on, there will be more companies willing to use the full card, but I doubt it.

Right now, it looks like Nintendo, Marvelous, CDPR and Limited Run look to be the only companies willing to do it. I think if Nintendo didn't do the Game Key card, it would've been a codes. I don't like Game Key cards, but I get why others do like them and will compromise for now.

I hope they can find a smaller cartridge for smaller releases for Switch 2 exclusives, but something tells me it wasn't cheaper than 64 GB this time.

@Ichiban
Equal parity between games systems and Nintendo will almost always beat sales than the other systems!

Even back on the WiiU, there were games that sold better on WiiU than the HDTwins!

Amazing result for Cyberpunk, really deserved for all the work CD Projekt RED put into the port and making the a game a full cartridge release.

I actually find it funny that Hogwarts Legacy sells the most on Switch 1. As someone who was very appreciative towards the impossible ports and enjoyed most of them during its lifetime, Hogwarts Legacy is one of those games that should have NEVER been released on OG Switch!
It’s so downgraded that I don’t understand how people can play that version…

@Axecon I mean it’s a fantastic game… but the replayabilty of World is insane. And it’s so beautiful.

@Flashlink99 my son absolutely loves it on Switch. He’s 14 and is not easily fobbed off. I have secured him a Switch 2 for Christmas and I’m excited to see how much better it is there, but take nothing away from the Switch version, he has enjoyed it immensely.

I'm guessing Hogwarts is selling well on S1 because of the discounted upgrade path they're offering. And the game is on sale for another week right now, too. I am like those people, though I bought my copy a week or two ago. And I will upgrade soon!

@AmplifyMJ That is actually wholesome and great to hear tbh! I personally couldn’t digest HL on Switch, even after playing equally compromised ports like Outer Worlds. It just felt like too big of a downgrade to me.
After reading more of the other comms here, I understand there would be an upgrade path to the Switch 2 version. I believe that if your son likes the port on S1, he will be blown away by the quality on Switch 2 and have the same HL experience as players on other more powerful consoles 👍🏻
I managed to snag one the second day after release and so far I’m blown away by how Cyberpunk and Street Fighter 6 run on it, without much sweat at all!

Mario Kart world sales include the switch 2 bundle right?

@Athropos it's download only in the West I think

@Varkster @tsim21 just a bone of contention, despite this being Nintendo's best console release in the UK it was still lower than both Sony and Microsoft's most recent console launches. Nintendo has always struggled here, I expect the numbers next week to go back to usual as the launch sales die down

@Otoemetry In the UK, sure, the console will get the necessary boosts when the games come out that UK are generally more interested in.

Like I mentioned in the France article, console sales are driven by software, this is something that people like to forget or not bring up when talking about the Switch 2 sales.

When the next 3D Mario game, Metroid, Animal Crossing, Pokemon and other games that perform great in the UK come out for the console, the system will see significant bumps in the region. It's always been this way with the Switch as well.

The important takeaway here is that the launch sales numbers are impressive, and given the most recent article on NintendoLife, this argument was completely silly considering the Switch 2 has now smashed every record for the greatest system sales at launch.

Whether it keeps performing the way it started will strongly depend on the lineup, which we have yet to learn from Nintendo.

I just disagree with the agenda that now that the Switch 2 is exceptionally successful despite the entirety of the internet saying it will flop, the goalposts have shifted and we're now saying that the Switch 2 will drop off in sales. No. The system will continue selling if the software allows it and there is a steady flow of releases, especially exclusives.

@Varkster I'm not coming with an agenda simply the reality of the region in which I live and the way statistics can be twisted to produce a sensationalised headline that doesn't quite tell the truth, I haven't read the latest article (I was supposed to be trying to sleep but insomnia wins again tonight considering it's 5am and I still haven't) but I will catch up later. My main point was simply that the UK is not Nintendo's strongest market when a supply constrained ps5 managed to beat the Switch 2 launch numbers, I'm not just being a downer. I only own Nintendo consoles 😅

@Otoemetry Oh, I'm not talking about you by the way, that jab is at the online discourse, you're fine haha.

I feel like I need to make that more clear when responding to people online.

Generally, if I had a problem with anything you said I wouldn't actually put thought and effort into my response, look at above examples of this.

I think you're right overall and the Nintendo brand is very weak in the UK, although the Switch has picked the brand up by quite a lot in the UK it's still not quite where the PlayStation and Xbox brands are.

I'm just giving general thoughts that the system will sell more if they keep releasing more games, of course that point will 100% depend on the lineup and the quality of the games moving forward, on that I can't comment about because I don't know enough from here on out (as would anyone, even rumors have been quiet).

@Varkster ah gotcha, yeah it's easy to forget how easily comments can be misinterpreted online when they're devoid of tone etc. No harm done!
I think when it comes to the UK in general we're deep into an unrelenting cost of living crisis and our change of government last July has done less than nothing to help alleviate the feeling of our country circling the drain, I know that sounds dramatic but I don't know anyone who feels like they're doing well and several friends are in desperate situations so expensive new gaming hardware just isn't in our budgets at the moment. Doesn't help that Nintendo seem to be relying on upgrading old games to bolster the lineup rather than releasing new titles, it feels like there's very little new to play that would make the console an essential purchase and as I say I only play on Nintendo hardware... Course this could all change at the drop of a hat if Nintendo would let a few announcements drop instead of being tighter than the nun's proverbial! 😂

@Otoemetry Give it a couple of weeks, if not just one. They already let a little squeeze out yesterday night (well, night for me anyways) for the new Splatoon game.

They'll announce more soon, there's a lot of unknowns about the future of the console at the moment and I predict that is on purpose.

They outlined the launch and didn't really go too much farther than that for a reason, they want the announcements to happen more frequently to generate continuous engagement, it's a strategy Furukawa believes in, rather than announcing the console's entire library at the beginning of its lifespan.

What competition? Is anything new out for anyone else?

Smart move by WB, their Hogwarts Legacy sold a lot thanks to the strong discount on Switch and by giving the deluxe owners the chance to get the Switch 2 edition too very cheap. Btw you can keep playing both editions on Switch and Switch 2 without having to move the "digital cartridge" over and over.
They did the right thing both for themselves and for the customers.

There are 4 MK's in the top 16.