Nintendo’s Switch has just achieved another sales milestone. Although worldwide hardware sales of the hybrid system surpassed Wii sales some time ago, there’s been an update in the US.
According to new data from Circana (previously the NPD), US lifetime sales of Switch hardware have “finally” overtaken the Wii. After six years on the market, the hybrid system achieved this feat in July 2023. No exact sales data was provided, but IGN notes that “49 million were sold in the Americas”.
GamesIndustry.biz further mentions how Switch’s “lifetime sales now trail Xbox 360 by less than one million units” in the US. Nintendo’s latest system is also “fewer than five million” away from the PlayStation 2 in the same market.
The Switch’s ongoing success is credited to its strong library of first-party games. In 2023, system sales have been assisted by the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, with existing owners also being treated to games like Metroid Prime Remastered and more recently Pikmin 4. And then there are games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, due out later this year.
Nintendo’s official website says the Switch has now sold more than 129 million units as of 30th June 2023, with lifetime Wii sales capped at 101 million units.
The top-selling game on the Switch is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – having sold 55.46 million units to date. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the fourth best-selling game at the 30 million mark, and Tears of the Kingdom is already the ninth best-selling title and has already shifted 18 million units.
