Nintendo Switch Becomes the All-Time Best-Selling Console in Nintendo’s History

Discover how the Nintendo Switch became Nintendo's all-time best-selling console, revolutionizing gaming with unmatched popularity and innovation.

Nintendo Switch
© Nintendo Switch
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The moment a piece of gaming hardware quietly overtakes a legend in lifetime sales, the industry rewrites its own history. That is exactly what has happened now that the Nintendo Switch has moved past the Nintendo DS and become Nintendo’s best-selling console ever, reshaping how hybrid game consoles are judged for success.

Nintendo Switch sales record and what the milestone really means

When Nintendo confirmed that the Nintendo Switch had reached 155.37 million units sold as of December 31, 2025, one line in the earnings report carried unusual weight. The DS family, once viewed as unbeatable inside Nintendo’s portfolio, stood at 154.02 million units. With that single comparison, the Switch became the company’s all-time best-selling console and a new reference point for gaming hardware longevity.

The timing matters almost as much as the number. Launched in 2017 after the commercial disappointment of the Wii U, the Switch spent eight years on the market before securing this best-selling status. Reports from outlets such as Ars Technica and Nintendo Life underline how that long tail of holiday sales finally nudged it ahead. For you as a player or developer, this means an enormous active install base and a library that will remain commercially relevant for years.

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Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch

How a hybrid game console turned risk into market success

Seen from 2017, betting the company’s future on a hybrid game console looked risky. The Wii U had sold only about 13.7 million units, and confidence in Nintendo hardware outside its loyal fans was fragile. The Switch changed that perception by offering the same games seamlessly in handheld and docked TV modes, unlocking situations where people could play high-quality video games during commutes, breaks, and travel without separate devices.

Consider a player like Maya, a software engineer who travels frequently for work. She might start The Legend of Zelda at home on the couch, continue mid-flight in handheld mode, then hand one Joy-Con to a colleague for quick multiplayer at a hotel. That frictionless transition created real-world habits, not just marketing slogans, and led many households to buy multiple units so partners or children could have their own system. Those layered use cases turned a clever idea into a sustained sales record.

Switch versus DS and PlayStation 2 in the console sales league

For nearly two decades, the DS family represented Nintendo’s benchmark for a best-selling device, thanks to touch-focused games and accessible pricing. The Switch surpassing 155 million units finally eclipses that mark, as detailed by coverage from sources like TechSpot and Engadget. However, the broader league table still includes Sony’s PlayStation 2, estimated at more than 160 million units sold before it was discontinued in 2013 after a 13-year run.

Analysts following this space, including detailed breakdowns on GameSpot, argue that overtaking the PS2 will require Nintendo to keep supporting the original Switch aggressively, even while its successor grows. That balancing act shapes how long physical cartridges remain on store shelves, how many cross-generation releases appear, and how attractive the ecosystem remains for late adopters comparing competing consoles.

Financial impact of Switch 2 and how it supports the legacy system

While the original Switch celebrates its best-selling crown, Nintendo’s financial story is being driven by its follow-up system. The Switch 2, launched in June 2025, reached 17.37 million units sold in less than a year. During the October–December quarter alone, Nintendo shipped 7.01 million units of the new hardware, up from 4.54 million the previous quarter, allowing it to surpass the entire lifetime sales of the Wii U in a matter of months.

This surge in new console demand has transformed Nintendo’s financial statements. Over the first nine months of the 2026 fiscal year, net profit rose by 51 percent to ¥358.86 billion, roughly $2.31 billion. Net sales almost doubled, climbing to ¥1.906 trillion, or about $12.2 billion, compared to ¥956.2 billion the previous year. With a public forecast of 19 million Switch 2 units targeted by the end of the financial year, Nintendo is signaling that the new hardware will fund ongoing support for the original Switch rather than abruptly replacing it.

What this best-selling milestone means for players, developers, and retailers

For players like Maya, the massive install base of the Nintendo Switch means that new video games are likely to keep arriving for the original hardware even as the Switch 2 grows. Publishers view more than 155 million potential customers as a strong incentive to release cross-generation titles, remasters, and lower-cost spin-offs. Independent studios, in particular, benefit from this environment because a mid-budget game can find sustainable sales on a mature store filled with buyers who already own the console.

Retailers and accessory makers also respond to these numbers. A best-selling system generates demand for controllers, cases, memory cards, and themed merchandise long after launch hype fades. That ecosystem effect keeps shelf space reserved for Nintendo products and reinforces brand recognition with younger audiences. When a parent walks into a store in search of a family-friendly game console, the continued visibility of the Switch alongside the Switch 2 nudges them toward Nintendo’s ecosystem rather than competing hardware.

Key lessons from Nintendo’s hardware strategy with Switch and Switch 2

The story behind this sales record offers practical insights for anyone tracking technology and entertainment. Nintendo extended the life of a single piece of gaming hardware far beyond typical cycles by treating it as a flexible platform rather than a rapidly disposable gadget. The hybrid design removed a common dilemma for players who previously chose between a home console and a handheld device, and that simplicity limited fragmentation.

Strategic communication also played a role. When announcing that primary development would gradually shift toward the Switch 2, Nintendo still reassured customers that the original Switch would remain on sale “while taking consumer demand and the business environment into consideration.” That message helped late buyers feel safe investing in a system near the end of its life. If you work in product or platform management, this balance between new launches and legacy support is a blueprint worth studying, supported by coverage from outlets like CNBC and Polygon.

  • The Nintendo Switch has sold about 155.37 million units since its 2017 launch, becoming Nintendo’s best-selling console.
  • The system now sits just behind the PlayStation 2, which is estimated above 160 million units sold.
  • The Switch 2 reached 17.37 million units in under a year, already outselling the Wii U’s lifetime performance.
  • Nintendo’s net profit for the first nine months of FY26 increased by 51 percent, driven heavily by Switch 2 demand.
  • Nintendo plans to keep selling the original Switch while monitoring consumer demand and market conditions.

How many Nintendo Switch units have been sold so far?

Nintendo reports that the original Nintendo Switch has sold approximately 155.37 million units worldwide as of December 31, 2025. This figure covers all models in the Switch family and confirms that it is now the company’s best-selling console in its history.

Is the Nintendo Switch now the best-selling console of all time?

The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s best-selling system to date, but it is still behind Sony’s PlayStation 2 in the overall industry rankings. Estimates place the PS2 at more than 160 million units sold, so Nintendo would need a few more million sales to surpass that global record.

What happens to the original Switch now that Switch 2 is out?

Nintendo has indicated that it will continue selling and supporting the original Switch while demand remains strong. Many new releases are expected to appear on both Switch and Switch 2, and retailers are likely to keep stocking games and accessories for the older hardware for several more years.

How successful is the Switch 2 compared with earlier Nintendo consoles?

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The Switch 2 has already surpassed the Wii U’s lifetime total of about 13.7 million units in less than a year, reaching 17.37 million units sold. This rapid adoption has helped Nintendo nearly double its net sales year on year, confirming a strong start for the new hardware generation.

Why did the Nintendo Switch become such a market success?

The Switch combined handheld and home console functionality in a single device, supported by strong first-party games and accessible local multiplayer. That versatility encouraged households to buy multiple units and kept the system relevant for many types of players, turning a bold hardware concept into a long-running commercial success.

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