Nintendo has sold more Switch consoles in 15 months than it did GameCubes over that device’s entire lifetime. But the Switch continues to falter when compared to the surprisingly resilient Sony PlayStation 4 against which it actually competes.
To date, Nintendo has sold over 22 million Switch consoles. That’s up from the 20 million units sold as of the end of July, with 3.19 million units sold in the most recent quarter. And Nintendo is expecting another huge holiday quarter as well.
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Games sales are surging, too: Nintendo has sold 42 million Switch titles in the past six months alone, a 91 percent surge over the previous year. Mario Tennis Aces, with 2.16 million units sold, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, with 1.67 million, are the big standouts.
Compared to its predecessors, the Switch is a smash hit. The Wii U was a dud and sold just 11 million units during its lifetime. And the older GameCube sold just under 22 million units over a period of six years.
But compared to the PlayStation 4, the Switch doesn’t look so hot. Sony noted that PS4 sales were down year-over-year for the first time this past February. But the PS4 has already surpassed the total lifetime sales of its own predecessor, hitting 83 million units at the end of July.
By many measures, 2018 will be the platform’s best year. As a result, Sony has already lifted its forecast for the business unit that produces the console. And PS4’s best-selling titles, like God of War and Spider-Man, both sold over 3 million units in just three days this year, far more than any Switch title over much longer periods of time.
Bats
<p>Analysts predicted that Nintendo will eventually be #2 and overtake Microsoft's Xbox One soon. I wonder if that has happened yet. </p><p><br></p><p>I own a Nintendo Switch, but I don't play it. It's only for my nephew and niece, so they'll have something fun to do when they come over my house. I bought them a handful of games that they have asked for and thet all center around Nintendo characters and fun titles. They don't ask for games like Call of Duty or Arkham Asylum, just the cartoon ones that require a lot of jumping and running….LOL. </p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Clearly the PS4 is the better platform. I, for one, was thinking of buying an Xbox One just to have it. However, I realize how bad the who customer support is, when I can't even switch my Xbox account to my "real" Microsoft account. My Xbox account started several years ago, with a vanity domain name email address , associated with it. With my current and most likely permanent Microsoft account ending with the @outlook.com domain, I wanted to change my Xbox address to it, for the sake of convenience and ease of use. However….I can't do it. I followed all the instructions by Microsoft on their website, as well from non-Microsoft websites, and simply unable to do so. I've used every trick in the book published by Microsoft and non-Microsoft sources. I've tried everything and contacting Microsoft tech support is just not responsive or helpful at all. Soooo….it doesn't look like I'll be buying any kind of Xbox any time soon.</span></p><p><br></p><p>Microsoft must be looking at all this wonder, What exactly do we have to do to move the marker in favor of us? Let's face it, the Xbox One X has FAILED miserably…BIG TIME. I don't like to brag, but I predicted it. You just gotta put your self in the shoes of those 83 million PS4 users and ask, "Is it worth spending $500 for another gaming platform that offers very MINIMAL difference in terms of entertainment and gaming pleasure?" Clearly the answer is no. I looked at the differences between the Xbox One X and the PS4 Pro and I saw very very little reason for any PS4 user to switch and I stated that here on this website then. I don't buy this "Xbox One users spend more time gaming than PS4 users." LOL….Microsoft is a master when it comes to spinning. Plus that's a useless statement. LOL…that's like proclaiming "moral victories" after very embarrassing losses. Games sales are very important, because of the developers. Duh….it's clearly obvious. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
skane2600
<p>Yes, they are direct competitors. I should buy a PS4 so I can detach the portable unit from the PS4 console and take it to the park .. oh wait.</p>
provision l-3
<p>After years and years or reporting on consoles I don't understand how Paul has not figured out that this is not a winner take all, zero sum game. </p>