Nintendo may not have a ninth-generation console like the Xbox Series S/X and the PlayStation 5 but there’s a reason why it remains bullish on the Nintendo Switch. Sales-wise, the hybrid console is light-years ahead of its contemporaries and the current-gen consoles.
As the third-best-selling game console in history, the Switch has been a force to be reckoned with, and it doesn’t seem like it is slowing down. In a recent Nikkei report shared by Twitter user Stealth40k, it was revealed the Switch sold an incredible 380,000 units last month in Japan. That’s a whopping 68% increase compared to last year! Not only that, but it also sets a new record for the Switch’s best sales in June since its debut in 2017.
When we dissect Nintendo’s monumental achievement, two key factors come into focus. First the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Within a mere three days of its release, the Breath of the Wild sequel sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
The franchise’s devoted fan base had been eagerly awaiting the game’s arrival, given its delay from the previous year, which undoubtedly fueled its rapid success. In fact, Tears of the Kingdom not only flew off store shelves but also set a new benchmark as the fastest-selling game in the Zelda franchise.
With this in mind, it becomes evident that the release of Tears of the Kingdom had a profound impact on Nintendo’s sales, catapulting the Switch to soaring heights in May and likely continuing the momentum well into June.
Secondly, Nintendo shook things up earlier this year by announcing its decision to skip E3 2023. Instead, fans were treated to a Nintendo Direct event last month in which the developer confirmed several upcoming games.
These include a brand new 2D Mario adventure: Super Mario Bros. Wonder; a Super Mario RPG remake; a Star Ocean: The Second Story remake; a Switch port of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection; and a release window for Detective Pikachu 2 and the Batman: Arkham trilogy. But that’s not all.
Nintendo also announced a delightful surprise: a free demo for the upcoming RTS game, Pikmin 4, which garnered positive reviews upon its release last week. With such an enticing lineup of forthcoming games, it’s no wonder that Switch sales experienced a meteoric rise last month, surpassing all previous June sales records since 2017.
The buzz surrounding the successor to the Nintendo Switch has been growing, and it seems like Nintendo itself is stoking the fire. The Japanese company recently added a new platform to the Developer Portal, which has fueled speculation of an impending announcement of the Switch 2.
Furthermore, Nintendo has a history of casual announcements for new consoles, as we saw with the Switch in 2016. While it’s unlikely that this new sales record will impact the planned release date for the Switch 2, the success of Tears of the Kingdom might have shown Nintendo that the Switch still has a lot of life left in it.
Who knows, Nintendo might just be eyeing the record for the best-selling video game console of all time, a title it could achieved by 2025.
