The success of the Nintendo Switch is still there, almost six years after its launch. Indeed, Nintendo’s hybrid console continues to appeal to young and old. So much so that it stands out as the best-selling game console in France, eclipsing the Nintendo Wii record.
Since March 2017, 7.09 million Nintendo Switch have been sold throughout France. An impressive but not so surprising record for the console which comes to absorb the bitter failure of the Wii U.
Nintendo Switch, queen of consoles
The verdict is in: in 2022, nearly a million Nintendo Switch were sold, which stands out as “the best performance on the market” according to the general manager of Nintendo France, Philippe Lavoué. Is right. Indeed, this year, one in two consoles sold was a Nintendo Switch, whether standard, Lite or OLED. While the market is suffering from the shortage of components, it’s a pretty feat.
The 7 million copies sold since March 2017 allow the Nintendo Switch to eclipse the Nintendo Wii, which was comfortably installed in place of the most popular game console in France for more than a decade. Even the PlayStation 4 is no match for the Switch.
The popularity of the Nintendo Switch can be explained by its accessibility. Indeed, this hybrid game console, both portable and living room, is aimed at the general public rather than seasoned players. It is therefore not surprising that everyone is tearing it off. Both adults and children can find what they are looking for. Like what, power is not everything.
In 2022, the games Pokemon: Purple & Scarlete and Pokemon Legends Arceus dominated the market. However, the classic Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still in the running, positioning itself as the third best-selling game on Switch last year. Another very popular game in 2022 on the Nintendo console: Nintendo Switch Sports. This is an iconic game that made the glory of the Nintendo Wii at the time and which, therefore, appealed to nostalgics but also neophytes.
As 2023 has barely begun, we imagine that the success of the Nintendo Switch is not about to stop. Indeed, the Japanese firm has some nuggets in store for us in the months to come. Especially with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomthe sequel to the acclaimed Breath of the Wild. This game has greatly contributed to the popularity of the Switch and this next opus should follow in its footsteps.
With the Switch, Nintendo is definitely getting back on track. After the thundering success of the Wii in 2008, the Japanese firm experienced a monumental failure with the console that followed, the Wii U. Players were not there and Nintendo only sold 13 million games. units of this console in four years. This lack of interest prompted the company to stop production of Wii U in 2017… Leaving all the light to its new baby: the Switch, which needs no introduction.
