According to IGN, Nintendo Switch 2 has sold an astonishing 10.36 million units in just six months, continuing its streak as the biggest console launch of all time. The company raised its hardware forecast for the year and now expects to sell 19 million Switch 2 units before March 2026. Mario Kart World, the flagship launch title, has sold 9.57 million copies with 8.1 million coming from console bundles. Donkey Kong Bananza moved 3.49 million units since July, while Super Mario Party Jamboree sold 1.16 million copies. Meanwhile, the original Switch sits at 154 million lifetime sales, just 10,000 units away from overtaking the Nintendo DS.
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What Makes This Launch Different
Here’s the thing about these numbers – they’re absolutely staggering compared to previous console generations. The Switch 2 has doubled the original Switch’s launch sales of 4.7 million units and even outpaced the PlayStation 5’s 7.8 million units during its launch period. And remember, the PS5 was heavily supply-constrained during its early days, while Nintendo seems to have actually managed its supply chain effectively for once.
What’s really interesting is how Nintendo learned from the original Switch’s launch. They came out swinging with a killer app in Mario Kart World that basically sold itself, bundling it with the console to ensure everyone had that must-have experience right out of the gate. But more than a million people still bought it separately at full price, which tells you something about the demand.
<h2 id="software-driving-hardware“>The Software Engine
Look, we all know hardware doesn’t sell without great games, and Nintendo’s first-party lineup is carrying this launch hard. Mario Kart World attaching to nearly every console sold? That’s the kind of software penetration most companies dream of. Donkey Kong Bananza pulling 3.49 million in just a few months shows there’s appetite beyond the obvious hits.
And then there’s Pokémon Legends Z-A, which sold 5.8 million copies in its first week alone – too recent to be included in these numbers but absolutely going to be a monster seller. Nintendo’s strategy of spacing out their heavy hitters seems to be working perfectly, giving each major release room to breathe and dominate the conversation.
The Original Switch’s Surprising Longevity
Now here’s what fascinates me – the original Switch is still moving units. 1.37 million more copies of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the last six months? Seriously, who doesn’t own this game by now? The fact that it’s just 10,000 units away from passing the Nintendo DS shows how Nintendo has managed this transition perfectly.
But can it catch the PlayStation 2’s 159 million? Probably not – Nintendo’s projecting 156 million by March 2026, which would leave it just short. Still, the fact that we’re even having this conversation about a console that launched in 2017 is remarkable. Nintendo has created a gaming ecosystem that people just don’t want to leave, and industry watchers are taking notice of how smoothly they’re managing this generational handoff.
Where Does Nintendo Go From Here?
So with Switch 2 off to this explosive start, what’s the play? The raised forecast to 19 million units suggests Nintendo expects the momentum to continue, which makes sense with the holiday season approaching. But the real test will be whether they can maintain this pace beyond the initial rush of early adopters.
The software pipeline looks strong, but Nintendo needs to avoid the content droughts that sometimes plagued the original Switch. If they can keep delivering must-have games at this cadence while supporting both new and legacy hardware, they might just pull off the smoothest console transition in gaming history. Basically, they’re playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.
