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The Nintendo Switch has sold 34.74 million units worldwide since launching on March 3, 2017, according to the latest figures from Nintendo.Â

Chris Kerr, News Editor

April 25, 2019

1 Min Read

The Nintendo Switch has sold 34.74 million units worldwide since launching on March 3, 2017, according to the latest figures from Nintendo

That puts it way ahead of its predecessor the Wii U (13.56 million lifetime sales), and older siblings like the GameCube (21.74 million units) and the Nintendo 64 (32.93 million units). The Wii, however, remains Nintendo's best-selling home console with lifetime sales of 101.63 million units.

The Switch had just passed the 32 million mark at the end of December 2018, meaning another 2.5 million units have been sold since the turn of the year. 

As noted in Nintendo's latest financial report, 16.95 million of those sales came during the past financial year, although that's significantly less than the 20 million units Nintendo had hoped to sell at the start of the year.

Even though the Switch failed to meet those initial sales expectations, it was still the best-selling console in the U.S. during 2018, and has been since the turn of the year. According to recent rumors, Nintendo is also keen to give the console a shot in the arm by launching a more affordable model with a focus on portability later this year.

Moving forward, the company expects to move another 18 million consoles in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. If that proves the case, we should see the system surpass 50 million lifetime sales in the next 12 months.

About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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