It’s January. A good time to take stock and reflect on 2017. And for the Nintendo Switch in Japan, what a year it was.
[Image: pastak]
Throughout 2017, the Switch drew long (and sometimes hellish) lines. Even by the year’s end, when the Switch became more available, it still continued to post strong sales numbers.
But, really, how good is the Switch doing? Previously, Kotaku posted sales comparisons with the PS4, another highly successful console in Japan. The Switch, however, isn’t just doing well, it’s doing exceedingly well.
京都ヨドバシ、Switchもスーファミミニも売っててレジがめちゃくちゃ列んでて盛り上がってる pic.twitter.com/WBsOPc2eQn
— サブカルペンネくん (@pastak) January 3, 2018
Heck, sellouts are still being reported this month (see below).
ヨドバシ新宿西口Switch、ネオンは予約できるようになったの (@ ヨドバシカメラ ゲーム・ホビー館 in 新宿区, 東京都) https://t.co/24CcQHlHid pic.twitter.com/kqg5htacRd
— マッシュルーム (@mushroom080) January 9, 2018
今日が仕事始めです。
新年初ヨドバシ、また例のスイッチ完売の紙が。
昨年末になってようやく普通に買える感じになったように見えたんだけど。#NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/QL9xTuHyI3— ユウスケ@ライチュウの白いおなか (@Raishiro) January 5, 2018
In Japan, Nintendo sold 3.4 million Switch consoles in 2017. Website Nintendo Soup notes that during the PS4’s first year, Sony sold 920,000 consoles. Meaning? It looks like the Switch ended up outselling the PS4 three to one. Just check out how the Switch compares to the PS4 during each console’s first 44 weeks (the character 週 means “week”).
As pointed out on Mutyun and 5ch, here’s a graph that shows how the Switch is doing compared to other consoles.
[Image: Mutyun and 5ch]
The graph starts at 発売, which means “going on sale”. 1年後 means “one year later”, while 2年後 means “two years later” and so on.
Damn, those Nintendo 3DS sales numbers are good. That’s over 23 million units.
[Image: Mutyun and 5ch]
Here is the same data, but adjusted by year.
It will be interesting to come back seven years later and see if the Switch is doing as well as the Nintendo 3DS.
Comments
21 responses to “The Nintendo Switch Had An Incredible Year In Japan”
It deserves to. I am *100* percent willing to eat crow on this one. My son sold our xbox one s which we never really played, and a few of our other things to buy a Switch with Zelda and Mario Odyssey. I’m finding it a fantastic console. When he recently lacerated his kidney and found himself laid up in hospital a week, pissing blood mind you, the Switch really, honestly, helped keep his mind off a goddamn awful situation. He’s really coming good and it was great being able to take the Switch, Mario kart and a few other controllers in and playing Mario Kart with him and the other kids in the ward, it really helped lift the spirits of the place.
I really do think Ninty is onto a winner with the Switch, I hope this success continues, it’s their best console since the SNES imho.
Paint me as another sceptic now sold on it. Of course, the whole idea of the Switch isn’t ground breaking, but Nintendo have superbly handled the Jekyll/Hyde concept of being a TV console, and a portable, and making it so effortless. Back that up with the usual quality Nintendo game design, and it all comes together for a complete win. Surely there’s never been a better launch title than Zelda BotW. What a way to sell a system!
Having said that, Nintendo have their work cut out for them to continue the momentum. They’ve exhausted most of their top franchises (just Metroid left, I think). They’ll need some third-party support, more than just ports of older games. The time could be ripe for them to come up with something new. Will be interesting to see what they do.
Hope all is well or on the way to being there Were!!
We donated our original Wii to the rehab ward my wife works on and just seeing the patients quality of life improve with a few games of bowling or golf was a sight to behold. Ninty have a track record of innovation and I can only tip my cap to them.
Moreover, it’s nearly full circle seeing my son discover Mario and Zelda for the first time and me regaling him of stories of the nes and snes days…which I’m sure embarrass him no end when his mates are around!
Even by the most optimistic expectations, the success of the Switch is absolutely amazing. Nintendo are back to printing money. Long may it continue.
For some reason all those Switch haters are still talking about Nintendo is going to fail with Switch because it is not a console because it is not as powerful as PS4/X1.
I don’t get them at all. It’s selling even better than the consoles and they call that a gimmick.
:/
Why are you making a fuss over what they say?
Trying to bait. You gotta put some lure and someone will bite.
So your just being a smug ahole?
Really. Get a life. You are no better than those you decry. Grow up
Mkay little fish
I own a switch you dumbshit.
Remove your head from your rectum
Run along now little fish. You made me lost his fish.
Im suprised you are typing these comments given how far your head is up your own arse.
You are an embarassment to the wider community
Don’t feed the troll.
Yes don’t feed the troll.
The strong launch year titles (MK8, BotW, SMO) would have helped immensely but this year is the critical year for the Switch because if the games aren’t there then the sales will slow right down. There’s no Monster Hunter World, the majority of the current line up is ports of games people already own and the potentially big titles like Metroid Prime 4, SMT 5 and the new Fire Emblem still don’t have any confirmed release dates. What there is though is a ton of third party support which puts the Switch on a good foot coming into 2018.
They’ve done a mini direct showcasing a bunch of stuff releasing early this year. There will most likely be one full of bigger hitters sooner rather than later. Then you usually get 1 or 2 surprise titles in the e3 direct. But it sure looks quiet at the moment.
Don’t forget Bayonetta 3.
My switch is arriving in the mail tomorrow, got zelda ready to go. I tried it on the wii u and didnt enjoy it but i didnt get off the great plateu. I know its pretty much the same on switch but I’m ready to give it a real shot. I know I’ll love it. Cant beat a ps4 pro but nintendo exclusives are always worth the console and the switch is definitely better than wii u.
Funnily enough I didn’t truly enjoy Zelda until I picked up a pro controller for some reason. The tiny controllers didn’t do it for me with that game (no issue with others), but I got the cheapy USB zelda controller (40 bucks) and yeah, been loving it since? Dunno why?
The protrollers are amazing – perfectly fit my carnie hands and I can play for extended periods without any soreness…they even made them easily cleanable to remove the cabbage smell.
Hmm I was thinking that, it was awkward on the wii u but I was playing heaps of horizon and I feel like the contrast doesn’t help. I’m gonna go get my switch right now and possibly a pro controller haha.
Poor Xbox, they always have a tough time over there.