Nintendo's Switch has solidified its position as the second-best-selling game console of all time, surpassing the original DS in terms of sales volume. As of December 31, 2025, the company announced that a total of 155.37 million units of the Switch have been sold worldwide, marking a significant milestone for the nine-year-old console.
Despite price hikes introduced by Nintendo in August 2025, citing "market conditions," the Switch continues to attract new customers and maintain its existing user base. The console has sold an additional 3.25 million units since the end of 2025's fiscal year, with a further 1.36 million units sold during the holiday season.
The Switch's success can be attributed to its versatility, with many recent games and updates released in both standard and upgraded versions for the newer Switch 2 model. Nintendo has continued to sell all editions of the original console as entry-level systems for customers who cannot afford the more expensive Switch 2.
The Switch 2 itself has gotten off to a strong start, selling 15 million units by the end of December and a total of 17.37 million units by the end of the quarter. This puts it ahead of the Wii U's lifetime sales and only behind the PlayStation 2 in terms of overall sales volume.
The Switch's massive installed base means that the older console remains a driving force for Nintendo's software sales, with 47.37 million games sold in the third quarter of its fiscal 2026 compared to 17.31 million for the Switch 2. The company's best-selling game so far this year is Mario Kart World, which has sold over 14 million copies across all Switch models.
The number of annual playing users across Nintendo's consoles has remained relatively flat in recent years, with 129 million active users reported in 2025. While the Switch 2 is expected to continue selling well, it remains to be seen how long the original console will remain relevant in the market.
Despite price hikes introduced by Nintendo in August 2025, citing "market conditions," the Switch continues to attract new customers and maintain its existing user base. The console has sold an additional 3.25 million units since the end of 2025's fiscal year, with a further 1.36 million units sold during the holiday season.
The Switch's success can be attributed to its versatility, with many recent games and updates released in both standard and upgraded versions for the newer Switch 2 model. Nintendo has continued to sell all editions of the original console as entry-level systems for customers who cannot afford the more expensive Switch 2.
The Switch 2 itself has gotten off to a strong start, selling 15 million units by the end of December and a total of 17.37 million units by the end of the quarter. This puts it ahead of the Wii U's lifetime sales and only behind the PlayStation 2 in terms of overall sales volume.
The Switch's massive installed base means that the older console remains a driving force for Nintendo's software sales, with 47.37 million games sold in the third quarter of its fiscal 2026 compared to 17.31 million for the Switch 2. The company's best-selling game so far this year is Mario Kart World, which has sold over 14 million copies across all Switch models.
The number of annual playing users across Nintendo's consoles has remained relatively flat in recent years, with 129 million active users reported in 2025. While the Switch 2 is expected to continue selling well, it remains to be seen how long the original console will remain relevant in the market.
! i mean like 155m units sold and it's still going strong despite those price hikes 
nintendo is really smart about keeping the old model around for budget buyers 
and the switch 2 is getting a lot of love with all those new game releases 
i'm kinda curious to see how long the original switch will stay relevant tho 
I MEAN, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT THE ORIGINAL DS WOULD GET BEAT OUT BY THIS LITTLE GAMING CHAMPION? AND IT'S STILL DOING WELL DESPITE PRICE INCREASES - THAT'S LIKE TRYING TO SELL A PAIR OF SHOES AT A DISCOUNT STORE AND THEY'RE STILL COMING BACK FOR MORE! 
. The fact that it's selling well despite this suggests that loyal fans are willing to shell out the cash, but I'm not convinced it'll appeal to a wider audience.
. It shows they're committed to making gaming accessible to everyone. The Switch 2's strong start is awesome too! 
But, I worry about what happens when the novelty wears off and people start looking for new games and experiences.
. It just goes to show that Nintendo still knows how to make games that appeal to a wide audience. But, I'm not sure if we'll see as many exclusive titles in the future since more devs are jumping ship for other platforms 
.
... like literally, I fell off my couch 
️. I'm pretty sure he took a video of it on his phone but hasn't sent it to me yet 
. Anyway, speaking of Switch sales, I'm not surprised that Nintendo's console is selling so well... my cousin just got one for Christmas and she loves it so much! She's been playing it nonstop since then, even after the holidays were over 
. It's weird how some consoles just stick with you, right?
. It's like they're trying to protect their profits over the users who actually wanna buy the console.
. I'm excited to see what kind of games they'll release next, but at the same time, I hope Nintendo doesn't forget about those old consoles 
. They're still worth something, you know?
! I mean, who wouldn't want a console that can play both at home and on-the-go? 
! But I'm also loving how they're still selling those old Switch consoles as entry-level systems - it's like, no one should be left out of the gaming party 
! The sales numbers are wild, though... 155 million units sold? That's crazy talk! And Mario Kart World is a total boss with over 14 million copies sold 
. What's your take on the Switch's success - do you have a console of your own?
I'm not surprised the Switch is killing it - I mean, who wouldn't want a console that's like a Swiss Army knife? It's got portability, it's got power, and it's got games for days... but let's be real, 155 million units sold? That's a whole lotta plastic 
. I guess you could say Nintendo is just trying to "switch" things up (haha, get it?) and keep people engaged. The Switch 2 is definitely a winner, but can the original console stay relevant without being like that one aunt at the family reunion - always showing up to parties with gifts, but slowly losing steam?
The Switch 2 has definitely gotten off to a strong start, but I'm curious to see how long it'll keep selling well once the novelty wears off. 
Overall, I'm glad Nintendo has been successful with the Switch, but it'll be interesting to see how their strategy evolves in the future. 
, and now the switch 2 is sellin like hotcakes too, 17 mil units sold in just a quarter? that's crazy