Nintendo’s Switch 2 is the fastest-selling game console of all time

Nintendo was expecting the Switch 2 would be just as successful as the original, and it’s already become the fastest-selling game console of all time after a strong launch. Nintendo revealed today that it has sold more than 3.5 million Switch 2 units in the console’s first four days, surpassing records for any of Nintendo’s hardware within the same launch period. But the record is more significant than that.

Daniel Ahmad, director of research and insights at Niko Partners, points out on X that the Switch 2 is “the fastest selling home video game console of all time.” It took Sony 16 days to sell 2.1 million PS4 consoles, and six weeks to reach 4.2 million units. The Switch 2 has also comfortably beaten the PS5 launch, which debuted during the pandemic and associated chip supply constraints. It took seven weeks for Sony to sell-through 4.4 million PS5 units.

It’s clear that Nintendo was able to meet pent-up demand for a Switch successor by having ample inventory on hand in key markets. Switch 2 preorders sold out across major retailers in the US ahead of the launch, but there was still some limited stock on launch day for those willing to line up at midnight or take a chance in the morning. The threat of price increases from tariffs likely helped goose initial demand, too.

While the Switch 2 isn’t the biggest UK console launch of all time and it seemed relatively easy for Brits to buy one on launch day, it’s still the fourth best-selling console in the UK according to data from NielsenIQ.

Analysts had widely predicted strong Switch 2 launch sales, despite a lack of launch titles for Nintendo’s latest console. Nintendo’s record-breaking Switch 2 sales are thanks to a lot of pent-up demand waiting on this new hardware, and Nintendo using that time to build enough units to meet demand.

The original Switch launched in March 2017 and sold 17.79 million units in its first 13 months on sale — more than Nintendo’s own estimates at the time. The Switch has now sold more than 150 million units over its lifetime, pushing it close to overtaking the DS as Nintendo’s best-selling console.