Gaming
Nintendo sold nearly 2 million units of the Switch Lite in less than two weeks
And the original Switch is still a hit.
Nintendo’s hardware sales exploded after releasing an upgraded Switch and the new Switch Lite. Half-year unit sales surged by 50 percent year-over-year with the introduction of fresh hardware. The regular Switch and its tweaked version with better battery life saw 4.98 million units sold, while the company sold 1.95 million units of its Switch Lite.
A strong start — The Switch Lite’s availability accounts for less than two weeks between April and September; therefore, it’s an impressive achievement for Nintendo and the watered-down Switch model. The entire Switch line sits at over 41 million units sold worldwide.
Nintendo hasn’t decided to turn its attention to a next-generation platform, either. Both the Switch and the Switch Lite are due to earn another batch of flagship titles. Pokémon Shield and Sword arrive in mid-November, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons follows in 2020.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Switch’s most popular game, will also receive additional downloadable content into next year. Nintendo’s sales on the title eclipsed 15 million copies worldwide in September.
Nintendo’s competitors — Sony continues to lead, selling more than 100 million units of the PlayStation 4. Xbox One, however, sits behind Sony’s PlayStation 4 and maybe even the Nintendo Switch. Microsoft doesn’t talk about unit sales, but estimates suggest it has sold 40 million units. Now with the Switch Lite, Nintendo’s Switch models might very well take a larger lead ahead of the Xbox One.