Nintendo Switch 2 sets new records with over 3.5 million sales in 4 days
Nintendo has confirmed a record-setting launch for the Nintendo Switch 2 with over 3.5 million units sold worldwide in the first four days on the market.
This is not only the highest global sales level for any Nintendo hardware in the first four days – the original Switch only reached 2.74 million units through its entire launch month of March 2017 – but also seems to dramatically out-pace Sony and Microsoft’s best efforts.
We don’t have an apples-to-apples comparison, but the PlayStation 4 sold 2.1 million within its first two weeks. Sony didn’t provide specifics, noting that the PlayStation 5 surpassed that, but the PS5 then largely kept pace with the previous generation through the first quarter to ship 4.5 million through the end of 2020 (its first 7 weeks on sale).
So, let’s just say that the Switch 2 is the fastest selling console launch.
This record comes with the caveat that the PS5 launched in the middle of a silicon shortage and Sony struggled to maintain supply for the following year. We don’t know what Sony would have managed to sell if they could fully meet demand at the launch of either PS4 or PS5. Of course, you can only beat the competition that’s in before you, and Nintendo has done exactly that by ensuring that there is all of this Switch 2 supply ready to go for launch.
It also comes despite all of the criticisms over pricing for the Switch 2 and its tentpole launch title, Mario Kart World. The Switch 2 is more expensive than the original console, and Mario Kart World set a new $80 price point that many fear will become another new standard price point for major game releases. Nintendo has softened the blow somewhat by offering a cheaper game bundle with Mario Kart World included, and that has almost certainly been the preferred SKU.
It’s also fair to say that major tech products will sell out no matter what. We’ll have to see if the Nintendo Switch 2 can keep up the pace and continue to sell better than the original Switch and PlayStation’s best through the coming months and years.
Source: Nintendo
