Nintendo Switch 2 becomes fastest-selling game console

Nintendo has done it again. The highly anticipated Switch 2 has officially become the fastest-selling video game console of all time, moving a jaw-dropping 3.5 million units in just four days since its launch.

According to Nintendo’s announcement, this milestone outpaces all previous hardware launches — not just for the company, but across the entire industry. Daniel Ahmad, director of research and insights at Niko Partners, confirmed on X that the Switch 2 “is the fastest selling home video game console ever,” beating even the formidable launch numbers of Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

To compare, the PS4 took 16 days to sell 2.1 million units, and the PS5 needed seven weeks to cross 4.4 million. The Switch 2 surpassed both in less than a week, underlining the pent-up demand Nintendo successfully capitalized on.

Despite early preorder sellouts across major US retailers, Nintendo ensured sufficient launch inventory, with some units still available for last-minute buyers. Analysts believe that impending tariff hikes may have also driven urgency among buyers.

Though the UK didn’t see the same intensity, the console still ranked as the fourth best-selling console launch in British history, according to NielsenIQ.

Interestingly, this record-breaking debut came despite a limited lineup of launch titles. Analysts credit years of anticipation and Nintendo’s strategic inventory planning for the console's immediate success.

The next big test for Nintendo will be maintaining this sales momentum. The company is targeting 15 million units sold by March 2026, and with 3.5 million already gone in four days, it's well on track.

For context, the original Nintendo Switch, which debuted in March 2017, sold 17.79 million units in its first 13 months and has since gone on to exceed 150 million lifetime sales.