Nintendo Switch Sells 10 Million Worldwide
The Nintendo Switch has been selling extraordinarily well since it launched back on March 3. For many months Nintendo struggled to keep up with demand. In North America the supply finally came gushing onto retailers’ shelves at the end of September, and since then it’s been much easier to find a system for the all-important holiday shopping season.
Japan has probably had the roughest go of it all. The Switch is still regularly sold out and difficult to find. Some retailers still have customers line up for a lottery and if their number is called they’re able to buy the system. Nintendo has promised to increase supply in that territory this month so we’ll see if they can satiate the intense demand overseas.
Nintendo of America has just announced that the Nintendo Switch has sold through to customers 10 million Switch systems worldwide. This is a stellar achievements for a console that launched in the spring versus the normal holiday period. If you recall, it’s also the number of systems that Nintendo originally forecast to ship for the entire fiscal year (April 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018). They will easily beat that number (7.3 million sold in that window so far) and have since revised their forecasts to ship 14 million consoles for the fiscal year. Since the system launched during last year’s fiscal year (with 2.74 million sold) it looks like Nintendo could beat the lifetime sales of the Wii U in its first year on the market. Talk about a turn around!
From Nintendo of America:
Despite launching in March, a month not usually reserved for home console launches, and with the busy holiday shopping season still in full swing, the Nintendo Switch system has already sold 10 million units to consumers around the world, according to Nintendo’s internal sales figures.
Nintendo Switch is a home console that can be played on a TV, and also taken instantly on the go – it lets people play their favorite games anytime, anywhere and with anyone. And since every Nintendo Switch system comes bundled with two Joy-Con controllers, players can easily share the fun of compatible multiplayer games with friends and family* right out of the box.
The robust and diverse library on Nintendo Switch features two of the most acclaimed video games of all time in Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. At The Game Awards last week in Los Angeles, Super Mario Odyssey won the award for Best Family Game. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was honored with the awards for Game of the Year, Best Action/Adventure Game and Best Game Direction.
Nintendo Switch is also home to fun multiplayer games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2 and ARMS that can be played online** or with friends and family in the same room, as well as an ever-growing list of great third-party games like Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, FIFA 18, Rocket League, L.A. Noire, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Golf Story and Stardew Valley, Nintendo Switch is truly for any player.
“As you can see in people’s living rooms, on a plane or riding the subway, fans all over the world can enjoy playing Nintendo Switch wherever they go,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “The response from fans has been great, and we’re doing our very best to satisfy demand during the holiday shopping season.”
After a record-breaking 2017, Nintendo Switch will continue its momentum in 2018. The system will see the launch of Nintendo-published games like Kirby Star Allies, Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2 and a new game in the beloved Yoshi franchise, in addition to big third-party games like Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus from Bethesda, Mega Man 11 from Capcom, PROJECT OCTOPATH TRAVELER (working title) from Square Enix, Shovel Knight: King of Cards from Yacht Club Games and Runner3 from Choice Provisions.
Nintendo Switch is available at a suggested retail price of $299.99. For more information about Nintendo Switch, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.
Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/switch/.
*Additional games, systems and accessories may be required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately.
**Nintendo Account is required. Online services and features, including online gameplay, are free until the paid Nintendo Switch Online Service launches in 2018.
From Nintendo of Japan Investor Relations:
As of December 10th, worldwide life-to-date sell-through for Nintendo Switch, which launched on March 3, 2017, has surpassed 10 million units *.
Nintendo Switch is a home console equipped with a variety of unique features. Users can instantly take it on the go and share the Joy-Con controllers with those around them, enabling them to play whenever, wherever and with whomever they want. Nintendo Switch offers a wider range of playstyle options and places where games can be played, and has been well-received by consumers all around the world.
This December in Japan we are planning to ship more units than ever before so that even more consumers can purchase and enjoy Nintendo Switch.
* Source: Nintendo
Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.
