Nate Barrett/Digital Trends
TheNintendo Switchhas been out for well over a year now, and the system is quickly approaching a new sales milestone. In Nintendo’s latest quarterly financial report, the company revealed the Switch has sold nearly 20 million units.
According to information posted on Nintendo’s investor website, the Switch managed to movejust under 1.9 million unitsbetween April and June of 2018. This is slightly less than it managed to sell during the same period in 2017, but that was just after the system had launched and it was routinely selling out of online and offline retailers’ stocks.
To date, the Switch has sold roughly 19.6 million units. This is more than 6 million above the lifetime sales of the Wii U, and assuming the Switch has a similarly successful quarter from July to September, it could very well pass theGameCube’s lifetime figure, as well.
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, but mustachioed plumber Mario is leading the charge on the software front.Super Mario Odysseyis the best-selling game on the Switch, with more than 11 million copies sold, whileMario Kart 8 Deluxehas sold more than 10 million copies. The latter game has passed the total sales figure of the originalMario Kart 8on Wii U,which has sold under 8.5 million units to date.
Some of Nintendo’s more recent Switch games have also sold well.Mario Tennis Acesreleased in June and has already topped 1.3 million units sold, while the Wii U portDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezehas passed 1.4 million. Total sales numbers for the Wii U version aren’t on Nintendo’s website, but it isn’t one of the10 best-selling gameson the platform.
We’ll likely see the Switch continue to sell well through the end of 2018, as it continues to receive strong software support. Earlier in July, Square Enix released the role-playing gameOctopath Travelerto great reviews, and later this year we’ll getPokémon Let’s GoandSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. The latter game will likely soar to near the top of the sales charts, and its fans-first approach should make it a hit with the competitive scene. A special GameCube-style controller iseven being producedby accessories company Hori to give longtime fans that classic controller feeling while they destroy their friendships.
