Nintendo Switch Nears DS Sales Record, Eyes PS2 Milestone

Aug 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM
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The Nintendo Switch, a pioneering hybrid console, is on the verge of achieving an extraordinary sales benchmark, inching closer to becoming Nintendo's top-selling system of all time. This report examines its impressive journey, the current sales figures across its various iterations, and contemplates its trajectory against the historical sales giants in the gaming industry.

The Hybrid Queen's Reign Continues: Witnessing a Sales Phenomenon

The Original Switch: Closing in on a Historic Sales Achievement

Nintendo's latest financial disclosure prominently featured figures for the new Switch 2, yet the enduring legacy of the initial Switch model remains undeniable. This original hybrid console continues its robust performance, steadily narrowing the gap with the Nintendo DS's all-time sales record. With its latest quarterly update, the Switch stands at an impressive 153.10 million units globally, placing it remarkably close to the DS's 154.02 million. Despite a 53.5% decrease in sales compared to the previous year, securing an additional 0.98 million units this quarter, the console demonstrates persistent consumer appeal, even with the recent introduction of the Switch 2.

Breaking Down the Sales: A Look at Each Switch Variant's Contribution

The overall sales triumph of the Nintendo Switch family is a collective effort, with each of its three distinct models contributing significantly. The sleek Switch OLED model leads the pack this quarter, adding 520,000 units to the total. Following closely, the compact and portable Switch Lite contributed 230,000 units. The standard original Switch model also maintained its presence in the market, selling an additional 220,000 units. These figures underscore the diverse appeal of the Switch platform, catering to a wide range of gaming preferences and lifestyles.

Chasing Ghosts: The Switch's Ambition Beyond Nintendo's Borders

While surpassing the Nintendo DS would undeniably elevate the Switch to an unparalleled position within Nintendo's own pantheon of best-selling systems, a more formidable challenge lies ahead: the PlayStation 2. With over 160 million units sold, the PS2 holds the crown as the best-selling gaming console globally, a figure that recently saw a notable increase due to updated reporting. Nintendo's projections indicate an additional 4.5 million hardware sales for the Switch 1 in the upcoming fiscal year, suggesting that while the PS2's monumental sales figure might seem distant, the Switch is poised to continue its ascent in the broader gaming market within the next one to two financial cycles.