Switch is now Nintendo's highest selling gaming console
What's the story
The Nintendo Switch has officially become the best-selling console in Nintendo's history, surpassing the lifetime sales of the popular Nintendo DS. According to Nintendo's latest earnings report, as of December 31, 2025, the Switch has sold a whopping 155.37 million units since its launch in 2017. This figure beats the sales record of the DS handheld, which sold 154.02 million units since its debut in 2004.
Sales boost
Switch's record-breaking sales
The Switch and DS were in a close race until November last year. However, the holiday sales period has given the Switch an edge over its predecessor. Nintendo had previously announced that it would continue to sell the original Switch "while taking consumer demand and the business environment into consideration." This strategy seems to be paying off as sales for the Switch and Switch 2 increased significantly during this period.
New launch
Surge in Switch 2 demand
The demand for the new Switch 2 has also been on the rise. Nintendo sold 7.01 million units of the console in the October-December quarter, up from 4.54 million in the previous quarter. Since its June 2025 launch, Switch 2 has sold a total of 17.37 million units, surpassing Wii U's lifetime sales of 13.7 million units in less than a year.
Profit surge
Nintendo's financial performance
The launch of the Switch 2 has also greatly improved Nintendo's financial performance. The company's net profit increased by a whopping 51% in the first nine months of FY26, reaching ¥358.86 billion (approximately $2.31 billion). During the same period, net sales nearly doubled to ¥1.906 trillion (approximately $12.2 billion), compared to the previous year's ¥956.2 billion ($6.1 billion).