Nintendo Switch Surpasses DS, Becomes Best-Selling Console in Company History
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The Nintendo Switch has officially cemented its place in gaming history, achieving a milestone of 155.37 million units sold worldwide and surpassing the Nintendo DS (154.02 million) as the company’s best-selling console ever. This achievement comes as Nintendo prepares to launch its successor, the Switch 2, slated for release in the summer of 2025.
Despite the impending arrival of the next generation, the original Switch continues to demonstrate remarkable staying power, with over three million units sold in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. This sustained demand underscores the enduring appeal of Nintendo’s hybrid console.
The Versatility of the Switch Family
The impressive sales figures encompass the entire “family” of Switch consoles: the original model, the portable-only Switch Lite, and the Switch OLED model, boasting a vibrant and high-contrast screen. According to a company release, this success validates Nintendo’s strategic bet on a versatile format, allowing gamers to seamlessly transition between playing on a television and on the go.
“The numbers seem to confirm that the bet on a versatile format was right,” one analyst noted, “proving that the possibility of playing both on the living room television and on the move won over the public across the board.”
Software Remains a Key Driver
While hardware sales are experiencing a natural decline – down approximately 66% compared to the same period last year – the Nintendo Switch software ecosystem remains exceptionally robust. Titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continue to drive sales, nearing an impressive 71 million copies distributed.
. A visual representation of software sales trends would further illustrate the strength of Nintendo’s first-party titles and the continued appeal of the Switch library.
Challenging for the Industry Crown
The Nintendo Switch now ranks as the second best-selling console of all time, trailing only Sony’s PlayStation 2 (approximately 160 million units sold). Maintaining its current momentum – and even with the anticipated success of the Switch 2 – it is not beyond the realm of possibility that the hybrid console could eventually claim the global throne.
“Maintaining the current pace — and even with the Switch 2 gaining traction, with more than 17 million units sold — it is not excluded that the hybrid ‘veteran’ could still claim the global throne in the near future,” a senior official stated.
For now, Nintendo is adopting a cautious approach to future forecasts. However, the recently released financial data clearly demonstrates that the company’s strategy of prioritizing the gaming experience and convenience over raw processing power continues to deliver historic results from its headquarters in Kyoto.
