Nintendo Switch has overtaken Nintendo DS to become the company’s best-selling console in Japan. The information was gleaned from the company’s recent financial report which put the number of Switch sales in the region at 33.34 million, a few hundred thousand ahead of the Nintendo DS’ 32.98 million lifetime sales.
It is important to mention that the sales record for the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Switch included all variants of the systems. For example, the number of Switch sales included the numbers of the Switch Oled, Switch Lite, and Switch. Likewise, the sales numbers for the DS included the DSi XL, DSi, DS Lite, and DS.
While the Switch is now the best-selling console in Japan, it must sell over 15 million more units to become the company’s best-selling console globally. That record is currently held by Nintendo DS which sold 154 million units worldwide. However, the record for the best-selling console in history is still held by Sony’s PlayStation 2 with a global lifetime sales record of 155 million.
Nintendo forecasts that Switch’s total global sales will exceed 141.12 million by March this year. As of the end of December 31, 2023, the console’s official sales stood at 139.36 million units. Demand for Switch has significantly declined as the console gradually nears the end of its lifecycle.
Nevertheless, its sales are still impressive for an almost 7-year-old console and there is still the possibility that it may become the company’s best-selling console. This point was reiterated by Dr Serkan Toto, the CEO of Kantan Games, a Tokyo-based industry consultancy company, during a chat with VGC.
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“Has there ever been a console with stronger legs that late in the lifecycle? There have been no price cuts, only sporadic bundles or deals, and not even a new Pokémon game this holiday. Yet, the device keeps on selling and selling,” Toto said.
“I expect the current Switch has a bit of time left in the market even after the new hardware hits, especially when Nintendo can reduce the price for late adopters.”
Nintendo president is still mum on Switch successor
There have been lots of speculations about the Switch successor with some claiming that it may hit the market as early as this year. In the latest financial report, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa declined to comment on their next console.
Instead, Nintendo’s executives maintained that the current iteration of the Nintendo Switch would be the company’s main business for this year. The plans for the company’s next fiscal year beginning in April will be shared in its next briefing in May.
Nintendo also raked in good profit from software sales. Super Mario Bros. Wonder which launched on October 20, 2023, sold an impressive 11.96 million units. The game was Nintendo’s first new installment in the side-scrolling Mario series in almost 11 years.
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Also, the Super Mario RPG remake sold 3.14 million units. Consequently, the Switch remake of the SNES Square Enix’s classic has already outsold the original version. Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sold 20.28 million units while Pikmin 4 sold 3.33 million units.
“In addition, the April release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie positively impacted sales of Mario-related titles, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe which recorded sales of 6.79 million units (for cumulative sales of 60.58 million units),” Nintendo said.
“As a result of these factors, the total number of million-seller titles during this period was 24, including titles from other software publishers.”
Nintendo also revealed the fourth quarter titles scheduled for release from January through March 2024. The company released Another Code: Recollection on January 19 and will follow it up with the release of Mario Vs Donkey Kong on February 16 and Princess Peach: Showtime! On March 22.
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“Going forward, we will continue to work to maximize software sales in an environment where many people continue playing Nintendo Switch,” Nintendo said.
To expand the company’s reach and how people access their IP, Nintendo executives mentioned that a Donkey Kong Country will be unveiled at Universal Studios Japan in the Spring of this year. Also, the unveiling of the Super Nintendo World is planned for 2025 at Universal Epic Universe, at a theme park in Orlando, Florida that is still under construction.
