The Nintendo Switch is the most popular and successful games console of this era, judging by new sales figures released in the United States.
According to the NPD Group, which is recognised as the independent authority on these matters, the Switch has sold 8.7m units since going on sale in March 2017, up until the end of November this year.
That makes it more successful than the Xbox One and the mighty Sony PS4, when it comes to sales within the respective first 21 months of availability.
Considering how scarce Switch supplies have been during its opening run, that’s quite the achievement from Nintendo, following on from the disappointment of the Wii U.
Nintendo itself acknowledged the sales figures, while also using its internal data to crown Super Smash Bros. Ultimate the fastest selling game in the series, and the fastest-selling Switch game yet. The new fighter sold over three million copies in the first 11 days, since its release at the beginning of the month.
Meanwhile, Nintendo says its “evergreen” Switch games continue to tick over nicely in the U.S.. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have sold over 4 million and 5 million respectively. Super Mario Odyssey has shipped 4.7 million units.
The firm’s hardware unit and dollar sales this year have also been the best since 2011, while eShop sales grew 105% since this time last year.
Related: Best Switch games 2018
“We are thrilled to see such a strong reaction from consumers in the second holiday season for Nintendo Switch,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re looking forward to delivering more excitement and smiles to our fans in the coming year and beyond.”
Nintendo’s performance will doubtless be boosted by some great Black Friday deals, many of which offered a free game with console sales. Considering these figures don’t include the Christmas period, Nintendo will surely retain bragging rights well into the new year.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
