In its latest financial report, Nintendo revealed that by December 2024, 150.86 million Nintendo Switch units had been sold since its launch in 2017. In just the last quarter, which included events like Black Friday and the holiday season, 4.82 million units were sold.
The hybrid console’s sales are approaching the figures of the two best-selling gaming consoles in history: the Nintendo DS (154.02 million) and the PlayStation 2 (160 million). Given current trends, it’s likely that the Nintendo Switch will surpass both, especially with the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. The release of the new device could drive down the price of the original, making it even more accessible to a wider audience, which would likely boost these numbers even further.
However, there has been a decline in sales recently. Nintendo had initially projected selling 12.5 million units of the Nintendo Switch by the end of March 2025, but that estimate has now been revised down to 11 million. This represents a 30% drop in sales compared to the final quarter of 2023—an anticipated trend, considering the console will soon mark its 8th year on the market, with many players eagerly awaiting its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2.
Launch of Nintendo Switch 2
Although both Nintendo and fans are eager for the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2, the company has provided only a vague launch forecast. According to Nintendo, the new console will launch sometime in 2025. However, the original Nintendo Switch will remain the company’s primary product until the end of the fiscal year (which runs until March 2025).
This statement wasn’t surprising, as the fiscal year closes in March 2025, and Nintendo Direct, which will likely discuss the new hybrid console, is scheduled for April 2, 2025. During this event, it’s expected that Nintendo will officially announce the release date for the Nintendo Switch 2, along with more details about the new device.
Nintendo Switch games maintain success.
Nintendo Switch games continue to see strong success. In the last quarter of 2024, 53.7 million units were sold—an impressive figure, even for a high-consumption holiday season.
However, similar to console sales, game sales also experienced a 24% drop compared to the same period in 2023. This decline was anticipated despite the release of highly anticipated games like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Mario & Luigi: Brothership during this time.
Nintendo has updated the sales figures for its top-selling titles, with the top 10 Switch games sold by December 2024 as follows:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 67.35 million
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 47.44 million
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 35.88 million
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 32.62 million
- Super Mario Odyssey – 29.04 million
- Pokémon Sword & Shield – 26.6 million
- Pokémon Scarlet & Violet – 26.38 million
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – 21.55 million
- Super Mario Party – 21.1 million
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – 18.06 million
These sales numbers highlight the ongoing popularity of Nintendo’s flagship games, even in a year of expected declines.
