Nintendo Switch Becomes Company’s Best-Selling Console Ever
Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch has become the most successful console in the company’s history, surpassing 155 million units sold worldwide since its launch in 2017.
The milestone means the hybrid console has overtaken the Nintendo DS to claim the top spot among Nintendo’s hardware releases. In the wider gaming industry, the Switch now ranks second only to Sony’s PlayStation 2, which remains the best-selling console of all time with sales exceeding 160 million units.
The announcement came in Nintendo’s latest financial results, though the report also triggered an 11% drop in the company’s share price. Investors expressed concern about softer software sales and rising memory chip costs, despite the hardware achievement.
Nintendo said its next-generation console, the Switch 2, has made a solid early impression since its launch in June 2025. The company reported sales of 17 million units by the end of the year, describing the start as encouraging.
Industry analysts have pointed to modest expectations ahead of the original Switch’s release, followed by an unexpectedly strong performance driven by popular first-party titles. Christopher Dring, a games industry expert, said the console’s success was closely tied to Nintendo’s flagship franchises.
“Mario, Zelda, Pokémon and Mario Kart all delivered their most successful entries during the Switch era,” he said, adding that other series such as Luigi’s Mansion and Mario Party also achieved record-breaking sales.
The COVID-19 pandemic played a significant role as well. With lockdowns keeping people indoors, demand for home entertainment surged. Freelance games journalist Rachel Watts said the Switch became a common sight during that period, helped by its portable design and broad appeal to younger audiences.
However, Nintendo’s achievements with the original Switch have raised questions about whether its successor can match the same level of success. Speaking after the results announcement, company president Shuntaro Furukawa warned that higher memory chip prices could weigh on profits in the coming years.
The rising cost of RAM, combined with factors such as US tariffs and broader economic pressures in key markets, could limit how far the Switch 2 can go, according to Chris Scullion, deputy editor of Video Games Chronicle.
“Switch 2’s success is almost assured,” he said, “but Nintendo may have to accept that it sells very well rather than becoming the biggest-selling console the company has ever made.”
Even so, the original Switch’s record-breaking run has cemented its place as one of the most influential gaming consoles of all time.
