Summary
TheNintendo Switchhas just crossed another major sales milestone by surpassing the blockbuster success of the Wii in the United States. Ever since it first launched back in 2017, the Switch has become one of the highest-selling video game consoles of all time, thanks in part to its unique blend of portable and console gaming and a strong slate of first-party titles likeSuper Mario Odyssey,Metroid Dread, and the last two mainlineLegend of Zeldagames. Though the Switch is now reaching its sixth year on the market,Nintendo’s console continues to set recordsleft and right – such as selling the most units in Japan back in June.
The Switch’s blockbuster success could be compared to another one of Nintendo’s consoles: the Wii. Released in 2006 as a competitor to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii quickly became a worldwide sensation due to its innovative-for-the-time motion controls and an impressive assortment oflocal co-op and split-screen gamesthat made it ideal for families and non-traditional players. While the Wii was eventually phased out in favor of the Nintendo Wii U in 2012, it managed to sell over 100 million units worldwide, making it the fifth-best-selling home console of all time.
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According to a new report from Circana, theNintendo Switchhas exceeded the Wii in US-based sales in 2023. While this report didn’t give an exact number, Nintendo itself stated that over 129.5 million Switch consoles were sold globally – with just 49 million of these being from the Americas. This spike in sales is being credited toThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which launched on the Switch in May and has reportedly sold over 18 million units by the end of June alone. Another possible factor is increased hardware availability following the infamous processor shortages of the past few years.
Even as theNintendo Switch continues to make record profits, rumors have started to emerge regarding its successor. While Nintendo has yet to announce any new hardware, leaked Microsoft documents have claimed that the next Nintendo console could be announced as early as next year, a possibility supported by industry insiders. More recent leaks have hinted at new features for this alleged Switch successor, such as magnetic attachments to enhance gameplay and improved backward compatibility.
Meanwhile, the original Nintendo Switch doesn’t seem ready to be counted out just yet, as it continues to break long-held records like the Nintendo Wii’s equally impressive US sales figures. Thanks tothe success ofZelda: Tears of the Kingdomand increased console availability, more customers are bringing home aNintendo Switchthan ever before, which isn’t too shabby for a nearly six-year-old system.
