Nintendo’s original Switch has surpassed the DS with 155.37 million units sold, while Switch 2 becomes the company’s fastest-selling console to date.
Nintendo has confirmed that the original Nintendo Switch has become the company’s best-selling console of all time, officially overtaking the Nintendo DS after a strong holiday season. As of 31 December 2025, lifetime sales of the original Switch stood at 155.37 million units worldwide.
The milestone, revealed in Nintendo’s latest earnings report, puts the hybrid console ahead of the Nintendo DS, which sold 154.02 million units between 2004 and 2011. Nearly eight years after launch, the Switch continues to find new buyers even as its successor, the Switch 2, rapidly gains ground.
Original Switch Overtakes Nintendo DS Sales Record
Nintendo had previously indicated that the Switch was on track to surpass the DS in lifetime sales and expected the crossover to happen after the 2025 holiday season. That prediction has now been confirmed, with the Switch adding enough units in the final quarter of the calendar year to claim the internal company record.
The continued strength of the original hardware is especially notable given that its successor is already on the market. During the third quarter of Nintendo’s 2026 fiscal year, the company still sold 1.36 million units of the original Switch, helped by a lower price point and a large back catalogue of games that remain popular with families and late adopters.
For Nintendo, the Switch has become a rare platform that combines long hardware life with strong software momentum. The system’s hybrid design, which allows players to move seamlessly between handheld and TV play, has helped it appeal to a wide mix of casual and core gamers.
Switch 2 Becomes Nintendo’s Fastest-Selling Console
While the original Switch continues to break records, the Switch 2 is off to an even faster start. Nintendo reported that it sold 7.01 million units of the Switch 2 during the holiday period alone, bringing total sales to 17.37 million units through the third quarter of its fiscal year.
In its earnings report, the company described the Switch 2 as the “fastest-selling dedicated video platform” it has ever released. Strong launch titles, upgraded hardware and pent-up demand from long-time Nintendo fans have all contributed to the early surge.
Nintendo now believes it is on track to hit its goal of selling 19 million Switch 2 units in the 2026 fiscal year, which ends on 31 March. The company has already exceeded its earlier forecast of 15 million units that was set at the start of 2025, raising expectations for how quickly the new console can build a global install base.
Chasing PlayStation 2’s All-Time Hardware Crown
Even with its new internal record, the Switch still has one more major milestone ahead if it wants to become the best-selling console in history. The platform currently stands about 5.27 million units behind Sony’s PlayStation 2, which holds the all-time record with roughly 160.64 million units sold.
Nintendo has not committed publicly to chasing the PS2’s total, but analysts note that continued support for the original Switch alongside the Switch 2 could help close the gap over the next few years. Budget bundles, family-focused promotions and emerging markets may all play a role in squeezing out additional sales from the mature hardware.
However, as more consumers migrate to the Switch 2, the window for the original console to catch the PS2 may gradually narrow. Nintendo will need to balance the benefits of extending the Switch’s life cycle with the need to fully transition its user base to the newer system.
Game Sales, Earnings and What Comes Next
Software performance remains a key driver of Nintendo’s results. On the Switch 2, Mario Kart World has already reached 14 million units sold, while Donkey Kong Bananza has moved 4.25 million copies since the console’s launch. These early hits are helping to anchor the new platform and encourage hardware purchases.
For the third quarter, Nintendo reported revenue of 803.32 billion yen (around $5.2 billion), an 86 percent increase compared with the same period last year, driven largely by Switch 2 hardware and software sales. Quarterly profit came in at 159.93 billion yen (about $1.03 billion), up 20 percent year-on-year, though revenue was slightly below market expectations.
Looking ahead, the company says its performance will depend heavily on its upcoming game lineup. Key titles include Mario Tennis Fever, due on 12 February, and Pokémon Pokopia, set for release in March. If these games land well with fans, they could further boost both Switch 2 sales and overall software revenue in the months ahead.
