Summary
The big day is finally here. TheNintendo Switch 2launches around the world today, and some of you lucky enough to snag a pre-order might have taken a break from playingMario Kart Worldto read this. If you have a Switch 2, analysts have predicted that you will be one of the millions responsible for Nintendo’s new console overshadowingPChandheld sales within a year of being released.
According to Ampere,by way of The Game Business, the Switch 2 is expected to outsell the lifetime sales of every single PC handheld released to date within a year. The wording of the post on Twitter actually implies that the Switch 2 is expected to surpass all PC handheld sales “this year”, so it might take just seven months to hit that pretty incredible milestone.
Ampere and The Game Business haven’t shared specific numbers, but there have been all sorts of figures flying around during the build to the Switch 2’s launch, suggesting it might be the fastest-selling console in gaming history.Nintendomade it clear thatit doesn’t have nearly enough supply to meet launch demand in Japan, and a report from analysts earlier this year claimedNintendo is prepared to sell 20 million consoles in the Switch 2’s first year.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Is Not Only Expected To Outsell PC Handhelds
Analysts Think It Will Have Surpassed All Their Lifetime Sales Combined By The End Of 2025
The PC handheld that springs to mind for most is theSteam Deck, and rightly so. While there aren’t exact figures, despite its popularity, Steam Deck numbers point to it having sold roughly four million units as of the end of 2024, according toa report by The Verge.
That same report claims that when combined with other PC handhelds like the ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, just shy of six million of them were sold between 2022 and 2024. Those systems are predicted to sell an additional 1.9 million units in 2025, bringing the total to around eight million. With all of that in mind, it’s becoming pretty clear that analyst predictions about the Switch 2’s sales compared to what PC handhelds have achieved so far are probably correct.
The Switch 2’s price has been a point of contention with many claiming it’s too expensive. On the bright side, Nintendo’s new console is still cheaper than most PC handhelds. On the downside, it seems likely thatthe price of the Switch 2 will increase in the near future.
