Nintendo has released sales numbers for the Nintendo Switch as of December 31, 2017, and they are more than impressive. The Switch has sold 14.86 units, while the Wii U sold a total of 13.56 units during its lifespan. Let this sink in for a moment. The Nintendo Switch sold almost 15 million units during its first nine months on the market. The Wii U sold 13.56 units over the course of about five years. The Nintendo Switch has also already sold half as much software in nine months as the Wii U did in its lifespan
These are incredible numbers for Nintendo’s hybrid console. It’s selling at a faster pace than any console before it. it may not overtake the PlayStation 4, and it really doesn’t have to; everyone should own both consoles (or an Xbox One if that’s your thing) to get a full gaming experience, because Sony and Microsoft have a lot to offer as well.
Everone knew the Wii U was a commercial failure, but these numbers show how bad things really were. Nintendo hasn’t seen success like this since the Wii, which was a smash hit and sold over 100 million units. The parallels between the Switch and the Wii are striking, as both are incredibly innovative pieces of hardware. The Switch is the superior console though, and quality-wise, taking into account the excellent software lineup and third-party support, the Nintendo Switch could be the best selling console Nintendo’s ever released.