Nintendo sold 6.49 million Switch 2 consoles in the July-to-September quarter, a 37.4% drop from the 10.36 million sold in the same period last year, but the company remains confident it will meet its annual sales target of 16.5 million units.
The price increase to £429.99, announced at the beginning of September, is cited as a factor in the decline, although it is a smaller rise than for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox. According to Reuters, the fall has unsettled some investors, especially as Nintendo is still holding back major titles such as Mario and Animal Crossing.
Software sales rise despite hardware dip
Nintendo said: 'Although unit sales of Nintendo Switch 2 hardware declined compared to the same period of last fiscal year, many consumers continued to adopt the system, spurred on by factors like the release of new titles.'
Software sales are 18.88% higher year-on-year, with highlights including July's Splatoon Raiders (2.42 million sales) and September's Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (1.34 million sales). Mario Kart World has sold a further 1.78 million copies, bringing its lifetime sales to 16.48 million.
Outpacing the original Switch
Despite the decline, the Switch 2 has now sold 26.35 million units in its first 15 months, compared to 19.67 million for the original Switch over the same period. The console had an exceptionally strong launch in 2025, becoming the fastest selling console ever made.
Nintendo has not altered its forecasts and needs to sell another 10.01 million units by the end of March 2027 to reach its annual target. The launch of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake is expected to help, and Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has said the company has not seen any changes in the memory shortage situation, so it is not currently considering further price hikes.
Looking ahead to 2027, Nintendo has Pokémon Winds and Waves as a major release, with new entries also planned for Metroid, Kirby, and Xenoblade, and a rumoured next 3D Mario game.
