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The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling console of this generation. After a rough patch with the Wii U, the Japanese home video game console maker is back at it with a unique and massively popular design: a hybrid gaming machine that can entertain while you're on the go or relaxing on your couch.
Besides its fantastic video game library, the console's biggest selling point is its versatility and convenience. It's not fighting against the PlayStation or the Xbox but co-existing with these high-end alternatives. This rapidly increases its market size.
In this article, we will review the latest sales stats of the hybrid video gaming console from Nintendo. We will also pitch it against the likes of the PlayStation and the Xbox and use the data to speculate what a Nintendo Switch 2 could bring to the table.
The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling console of this generation
To date, Nintendo has sold over 129.5 million Switches. This figures all variants and revisions of the handheld ever launched, including the Switch Lite and the new Switch OLED.
In comparison, Sony recently reported it has sold about 40 million PlayStation 5s. Microsoft Xbox Series X and Series S sales figures are even worse, accounting for only about 23 million units so far since their launch back in November 2023.
The Nintendo Switch has also sold more units than the last-gen PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One consoles. Both of those devices sold like hotcakes from their first launch in 2013. To date, the PS4 has sold over 117 million units, and the Xbox One has registered slightly over 58 million purchases across all variants ever launched.
Below is a graph that represents these figures for better conception:
The Switch has outsold all other ninth and eighth-generation home video game consoles launched. Part of this success can be attributed to the fact that the hybrid gaming machine had a three-year headstart compared to the second and third-most popular consoles in the market. Nintendo launched the Switch back in 2017, while the PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S consoles were introduced in 2020.
Following the abysmal sales of the Nintendo Wii U, the Japanese game console was under heavy pressure to bounce back strong. The Switch was a make-or-break device for Nintendo, and it has served its purpose well.
What do the Nintendo Switch sales say about the Switch 2?
The massive success of the Switch hints that Nintendo will launch a potent successor to the device sometime soon. Leaks surrounding the Switch 2 surfaced quite some time ago. However, the exact launch dates are unknown.
The upcoming Nintendo Switch successor will likely share much in common with this device, given its current iconic position in the market. Features like more computing power and cloud streaming could revamp on-the-go experiences for the upcoming tenth-generation home gaming console.
