In a remarkable feat just before celebrating its seventh anniversary, the Nintendo Switch has officially become the best-selling console of all time in Japan.
Nintendo confirmed this groundbreaking achievement in its latest investor report, unveiling the latest lifetime sales figures for the popular hybrid console.
Since its launch in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch has consistently garnered strong sales, securing its place as the third best-selling console globally by surpassing the PS4’s lifetime sales in February 2023,
reaching 122.55 million units worldwide. The momentum continued,
with Nintendo selling nearly 17 million more units over the next year.
The latest investor report reveals that the Nintendo Switch’s lifetime sales now stand at an impressive 139.36 million, with approximately 4 million units sold in Japan alone.
The Switch’s dominance in its home country is underlined by surpassing the lifetime sales of iconic consoles like the DS and Game Boy,
with Japan’s domestic sales reaching 33.34 million units. The DS and Game Boy, including the GBC, held previous records with 32.99 million and 32.47 million units, respectively. This achievement cements the Nintendo Switch as the best-selling gaming console in Japan.
While 2023 saw a decline in the Switch’s annual global sales, marking the third consecutive year of such decline, the console remains a force to be reckoned with. Even as anticipation grows for the rumored Switch 2, poised to succeed its predecessor, the original Nintendo Switch is on track to potentially claim the title of the best-selling console of all time. Surpassing the PS2’s sales record requires just 19 million more units,
a feat that, given the Switch’s historic performance, seems within reach.
As fans eagerly await details about the Switch 2, the desire for backward compatibility to enjoy existing Switch libraries on the new hardware is palpable. The latest investor update also unveiled that Switch software sales have exceeded an impressive 1.2 billion units as of year-end 2023, reflecting the enduring popularity of the beloved gaming platform.