Nintendo aims to sell an additional 4.5 million units of its classic original Switch this year, even with the much-anticipated Switch 2 on the horizon.
Although the older console’s sales trajectory is beginning to wane, this forecast would see total Switch sales—currently at 152.12 million—climb to 156.62 million, positioning it to surpass the Nintendo DS, securing its title as the best-selling hardware in Nintendo history.
The Nintendo DS stands at a lifetime sales figure of 154.02 million units, outpacing the Wii at 101 million and even the total sales of both Game Boy and Game Boy Color combined, which sit at 118 million. However, a final hurdle still awaits.
While Sony has not provided an exact lifetime sales figure for the PS2, estimates hint at around 160 million. Could Nintendo’s original Switch reach this mark? As it stands, after this financial year concluding on March 31, 2026, they anticipate being just 3.38 million units shy.
In the grand scheme, this gap doesn’t appear insurmountable. Yet, the effect of Switch 2’s launch on the sales of the original remains to be seen. Will Nintendo succeed in maintaining momentum for its older console?
As for the upcoming Switch 2, expectations are high. Nintendo projects that it will outpace its predecessor in its inaugural year, aiming for 15 million units sold, even as demand is anticipated to outstrip projections, influenced by fluctuating US tariffs.
