It’s no secret that the Switch has proven to be a smash hit around the world. Just recently we reported on the system’s remarkable success in topping PS4 sales in North America, and now it’s just hit another major milestone in its native Japan.
As reported by Game Data Library on Twitter, the Switch has now surpassed 3DS sales in the region, totaling an incredible 24,765,068 units sold since its launch on March 3, 2017. The 3DS has managed a total of 24,759,642 units sold since its own launched on February 26, 2011.
This therefore means that the Switch is now the third best-selling console in the region, just behind the Game Boy in second place and the Nintendo DS in first place. It’s also interesting to see the sales trajectory based on major game releases; it’s clear that the 3DS had a remarkable boost in sales early on with the launch of Mario Kart 7 and the later 3DS XL (a cheeky price drop probably did a world of good too), but eventually started to stabilize shortly after the launch of the somewhat controversial New 3DS.
When it comes to the Switch, sales dips have been very rare, which is largely attributed to the consistent release of amazing games, not to mention the Switch Lite and OLED model.
Let’s take a look at the total rankings, courtesy of Game Data Library:
| System | Total sales | Launch date (Japan) |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo DS | 32,878,490 | December 2, 2004 |
| game boy | 32,430,000 | April 21, 1989 |
| nintendo switch | 24,765,068 | March 3, 2017 |
| Nintendo 3DS | 24,759,642 | February 26, 2011 |
| PlayStation 2 | 21,980,000 | March 4, 2000 |
| Playstation Portable | 19,632,197 | December 12, 2004 |
| famicom | 19,230,000 | July 15, 1983 |
| PlayStation | 18,855,344 | December 3, 1994 |
| Super Famicom | 17,150,000 | November 21, 1990 |
| GameBoy Advance | 15,535,192 | March 21, 2001 |
| Wii | 12,739,119 | December 2, 2006 |
| PlayStation 3 | 10,258,559 | November 11, 2006 |
Quite a feat, right? To think that the Switch has outsold the PlayStation 2 and the original Famicom in Japan is crazy! Can he stretch even further and reach the top spot? Given the sales trajectory relative to the 3DS, we reckon it’s got a hell of a shot. What’s also notable, and a bit surprising, is the PS4’s complete absence from the rankings; maybe this shows how Japanese people prefer handheld games.
Let us know in the comments what you think of the Switch’s latest milestone, and if you think it will surpass the Game Boy and DS!
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