Nintendo sets new record with 3.5 million Switch 2 units sold on opening weekend

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Nintendo announced Wednesday that 3.5 million Switch 2 consoles were sold worldwide during the opening weekend, selling out and surpassing its predecessor. This marks a successful debut for the Switch 2, which had been expected to perform well due to pent-up demand for Nintendo’s next-generation console, released eight years after the original Switch.

The numbers released directly by Nintendo show strong consumer sentiment for the Switch 2. The Kyoto-based company says the Switch 2’s sales figures marked the highest global sales for any Nintendo hardware within the first four days of release.

The Switch 2 was released last Thursday in Nintendo’s major markets, including the US, where gamers lined up at midnight to buy the console. Although Nintendo’s new systems often debut with groundbreaking features—like the Wii’s motion controls or the DS’s touch screen—the Switch 2 marks a more iterative update to the original Switch.

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Released in 2017, the original Switch was wildly popular, selling 15 million units in its first year and introducing the hybrid form factor, allowing players to enjoy games both on the go and at home.

Nintendo has sold 152 million units of Switch since its debut. That makes it the third best-selling console of all time, only behind Sony’s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo’s DS

With the Switch 2, Nintendo hasn’t changed the successful formula but has added a larger and better screen, improved performance, better Joy-Con controller and a higher price tag of $450.

The Japanese gaming giant hopes the Switch 2 will attract new users, especially those unfamiliar with Nintendo’s iconic characters like Mario and Zelda. The company is betting on familiar titles such as Mario Kart World, a brand-new entry in the Mario Kart franchise, which it hopes will drive sales of the Switch 2.

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Last month, Nintendo said it expects to sell 15 million units of the Switch 2 console in the fiscal year ending March 2026. However, analysts have called that estimate conservative. Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games said he is forecasting sales of 20 million units in the first year.

The success of the Switch 2 is critical for Nintendo and its broader ambition to evolve into an entertainment company akin to Disney. In recent years, Nintendo has diversified its business, expanding into theme parks and movies, though 90 percent of its revenue still comes from hardware.

Analysts expect the Switch 2 to surpass the lifetime sales of the original Switch, giving Nintendo a new high. The strong reception and fandom surrounding the Switch 2 are already being compared to the early years of the iPhone. However, US tariffs remain a major concern for Nintendo, which manufactures its consoles in Asia. The Switch 2 is likely to remain in short in supply due to higher demand, warns some analyst.

Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at indianexpress.com who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world’s biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin.
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