Most successful launch in Nintendo's history: Switch 2 breaks records
11.6.2025
Translation: machine translated
3.5 million units in four days: Nintendo reports a historic start: the Switch 2 is selling faster than any of its own consoles before. It can also hold its own against the PS4 and PS5.
Nintendo has achieved a record launch with the Switch 2. The new console sold over 3.5 million units worldwide in just four days. That is faster and better than any other hardware from the company before. Nintendo announced this in a release.
For comparison: The first Nintendo Switch achieved around 2.7 million sales in its entire first month in March 2017. Even back then, it was considered a successful launch. The success is even clearer when compared to the Wii U, which only sold 13.5 million units in its entire lifetime.
Availability as a success factor
One of the main reasons for the successful launch of the Switch 2 is the wide availability of the console at launch. Unlike previous hardware releases, such as the PlayStation 5 or the first Switch, Nintendo was able to provide larger stocks this time. The company had announced early on that it would be ramping up production to avoid supply bottlenecks.
Doug Bowser, President of Nintendo of America, emphasised in an interview that they would be able to meet demand in the USA «through the summer and into the Christmas period».
However, the launch did not go smoothly everywhere. Many retailers reported high demand on the first day, with stocks selling out quickly. We also experienced a short-term sale. However, the console is now available again.
A look at the competition
Nintendo also compares favourably with the competition. The PlayStation 4, long regarded as the benchmark for successful console launches, achieved around 4.2 million sales within the first few weeks in 2013. However, this was achieved over a longer period of around six to seven weeks and with a staggered market launch in different regions. After around two weeks, sales were at around 2.1 million units.
The Playstation 5, which was released in November 2020, had a harder time in direct comparison. According to Sony, it shipped around 3.4 million units in the first four weeks, albeit under more difficult production conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Technical innovations appeal to a wider audience
The Switch 2 offers more powerful hardware, improved Joy-Con controllers and supports 4K output in TV mode for the first time: My colleague Domi is so far enthusiastic. He has written the ultimate Switch 2 launch guide for you, in which you will find the most important questions and answers about the new Nintendo console.
Nintendo's ambitious goals
Nintendo has set itself the goal of selling 15 million devices worldwide by the end of March 2026. According to Bowser, the forecast is deliberately based on the success of the first Switch generation. Following the successful launch, this target seems achievable, provided the supply chains remain stable and demand continues. Nintendo is also planning to sell 4.5 million units of the old Switch models in the same period.
Header image: agustin.photo / Shutterstock
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