Over the three years since its release, the Nintendo Switch has been on track to soon become the company's second highest-selling console of all time.
According to recent financial reports, the Switch has sold 61.45 million units between its initial launch and June 30. Excluding the currently unknown July sales, 5.68 million units alone were sold in the last three months, with the coronavirus (COVID-19) sparking an increase in video game sales as a result of social distancing practices.
By comparison, Nintendo's original home console — the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) — sold 61.91 million units worldwide during its initial lifespan. The console and its iconic launch title Super Mario Bros. famously revived interest in gaming in North America following the infamous video game crash of 1983 and made Nintendo the unofficial face of the gaming industry.
Despite these substantial numbers, the Switch has a long way to go before it can surpass the Nintendo Wii for the title of best-selling console. Running between 2006 to 2013 (2011 in North America), the Wii beat out its seventh console generation competitors the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in sales with over 101 million units sold. Its opening sale records were eventually topped by the Switch, which will still compete with Sony and Microsoft's upcoming next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, respectively.
The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 to positive reviews, with its launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild receiving critical acclaim and being widely recognized as one of the greatest games of all time. Other major titles for the console include Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Luigi’s Mansion 3 and Splatoon 2.