Nintendo Switch May Not Be Fad After All, Sells 20 Million Units

The Nintendo handheld hype train shows no signs of slowing down.

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If you haven’t yet bought a Nintendo Switch, chances are you know someone who has. The portable console continues to burn up the sales charts in its second year on shelves. Nintendo released its earning report to investors and within the report it is mentioned that the company has sold nearly 20 million Switch units worldwide. Nearly 40% of all the units sold were in North America, the strongest market for the device. While the year over year hardware sales numbers were slightly down, the Switch software market is spicy hot. Nintendo has reportedly sold over 85 million units of Switch software since launch.

Despite what some consider to be a disappointing showing at E3 2018, Nintendo is poised to have a monster holiday season in 2018. The Switch’s showcase title this year will be Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a new entry in the platform fighting series that promises to include every character under the sun for its Nintendo Switch debut.

For a closer look at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, check out our hands on preview from SDCC 2018. To get an idea of what the mascot fighter will be up against this holiday season, take a look at our guide to the new releases of 2018.

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    July 31, 2018 2:05 PM

    Chris Jarrard posted a new article, Nintendo Switch May Not Be Fad After All, Sells 20 Million Units

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      July 31, 2018 2:11 PM

      I wonder how many people have bought more than one for their house to keep their kids happy.

      I mean, having two Xbox units seems silly but having two Switch units seems like a decent way to keep the peace, especially since they don't necessarily have to tie up a TV.

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        July 31, 2018 2:14 PM

        Plan on getting another at Christmas time. Just so my daughter can play the new Smash, and not have to fight for time from my 6yr old lol.

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          July 31, 2018 2:16 PM

          Of all the games to for kids to need separate consoles for that is like, the least of them. I don't know of a mode in any Smash game since Brawl that didn't allow multiple players.

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            July 31, 2018 2:17 PM

            Well, its not going to be dedicated for smash. She would like to play fully through BOTW on her own. She's only watched me play it.

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              July 31, 2018 2:26 PM

              That makes more sense sure, just the way you put it there made it sound like it was just for Smash and my brain started to flip out at the cognitive dissonance there.

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        July 31, 2018 2:15 PM

        That's definitely in Nintendo's wheelhouse, and something they've been trying to push actually.

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        August 1, 2018 7:16 AM

        multiple switches is really only feasible if you're buying physical games, and physical games on a mobile device is unbelievably fucking dumb. get it together nintendo. i've got 3 xboxes in my house and one on my desk at work and they all sync flawlessly together. physical media needs to die already.

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          August 1, 2018 7:19 AM

          I only buy physical games. Well, except Minecraft and Celeste and stuff.

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          August 1, 2018 7:23 AM

          Also if physical media dies then consoles are fucked. People only buy consoles because they're cheap (the entirety of an Xbox One or a Nintendo Switch is cheaper than a video card) and easy. Stores only carry consoles because they make the real money on games since the margin on consoles is razor thin or nonexistent. Doing away with the games on the shelves means that the stores stop carrying the consoles unless there's a significant profit motive and that raises the prices of consoles and that erodes their advantage.

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          August 1, 2018 7:49 AM

          I only buy physical, someday the store will go offline but the device will still function.

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          August 1, 2018 7:57 AM

          checking in as a buyer of physical switch games

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          August 1, 2018 8:03 AM

          my wife and i have switches and buy all digital

          shrug

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          August 1, 2018 8:41 AM

          Sorry dude but you're in the minority. I only buy physical games for the Switch unless there is no other option (Sky Force Reloaded.)

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      August 1, 2018 2:38 AM

      I wish they'd release more old games for me to buy

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      August 1, 2018 6:24 AM

      I might be going there soon. My wife is getting into splatoon2.

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      August 1, 2018 6:35 AM

      attn: all the people who said nintendo was dying after E3 lol

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      August 1, 2018 6:44 AM

      It's become my favorite console. Yes, the Pro / X are more powerful, but they require me to hog the TV :(

      I do like that I can use my Vita (in some circumstances) with my PS4. Still, it's a loud machine and the Vita hardware was horribly designed (triggers/back-touch etc).

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      August 1, 2018 6:46 AM

      Think of how many more they'd sell with 4K support.

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        August 1, 2018 6:48 AM

        They had to leave something for the mid gen bump.

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        August 1, 2018 7:53 AM

        Probably zero because the battery would last 5 minutes, it would melt your hands, weigh 5 lbs, and cost more for additional storage.

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