Nintendo has set some bold goals for its upcoming Switch 2, predicting it will sell 15 million consoles during its launch window. If this happens, it would rank among the fastest-selling consoles ever, beating the original Switch’s first-year sales and even aiming to outsell the PlayStation 2 this year. That’s a massive deal for Nintendo fans and the gaming world!
In its forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2026, Nintendo expects to move 15 million Switch 2 units and 45 million games. In perspective, the original Switch sold just under 15 million consoles in its first business year, despite launching earlier. The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 sold around 7.5 million units in their launch years, with the PS5 facing stock shortages due to the pandemic.
Pre-orders for the Switch 2 have been so strong that Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, warned about potential shortages. However, tariffs imposed by the US government have forced Nintendo to raise some hardware prices, which might be why their forecast is a bit cautious.
Looking back, Nintendo sold 10.8 million Switch consoles in the year ending March 2025, bringing the lifetime total to 152.1 million units—just shy of the Nintendo DS’s record 154 million. Nintendo expects to sell only 4.5 million Switch consoles in the current fiscal year, leaving Switch just short of the PlayStation 2’s record of 160 million units.
Analyst Nathan Naidu commented that Nintendo’s conservative forecast is understandable given the current tariff situation. Still, strong pre-orders in key markets suggest the 15 million sales target might be reached sooner than expected. The 45 million software sales goal also looks achievable thanks to a solid lineup of third-party and in-house titles, including Cyberpunk 2077.
What do you think about Nintendo’s ambitious Switch 2 forecast? Will it break records or face unexpected hurdles? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
