Hybrid console racks up 68 million lifetime sales
While much of the gaming industry is chatting excitedly about the NKOTB – PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X – Nintendo has quietly seen continued success with its Nintendo Switch hardware, still smashing targets nearly four years into its lifespan.
Over the course of October 2020, Nintendo’s hybrid console shifted 735,926 units in the United States, which is an amazing 136% increase on sales for the same period in 2019. The impressive figure also represents the second-highest October sales for any game console. Nintendo’s own Wii hardware still holds that particular record, having shifted 807,000 units in October 2008.
“Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite continue to provide one-of-a-kind gaming experiences on the TV or on the go, allowing holiday shoppers the choice of a video game system that matches their lifestyle,” said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser. “Seeing encouraging sales growth like this in the fourth October of Nintendo Switch proves to us that the system has many more years and great games yet to come.”
Nintendo Switch currently holds a 23-month streak as the most purchased console in the United States, a record that is in jeopardy given the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S hardware in recent days. One thing is for sure, with 68 million global sales, and no sign of slowing down, the Switch has no need to fear obsoletion in the wake of the new generation, and has carved a niche out for itself for 2021 and beyond.