Nintendo Switch 2 becomes fastest-selling console in Japan, outselling PS2 and Game Boy Advance in record time

The Nintendo Switch 2 has dominated the Japanese console market, shattering records with sales performance that has left the gaming industry in awe.

According to information from Famitsu, as reported by Yomiuri Shimbun, the Nintendo Switch has sold a staggering 1,538,260 units in its first month, claiming the title as the fastest-selling console in Japan since Famitsu began recording sales in 1996.

To put things into perspective, the Nintendo Switch 2 has outsold the Game Boy Advance, which sold 1,367,433 units in its first month back in 2001, and the PlayStation 2, which sold 1,134,862 units at the turn of the century, in 2000.

Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games noted, “This doesn’t include units sold by Nintendo themselves; therefore, the number is likely much higher.” If Nintendo’s My Nintendo Store sales were factored in, the actual number of sold units could be even more impressive.

The Switch 2’s launch has been nothing short of a cultural phenomenon in Japan. Nintendo has long held a firm grip on the gaming market and seems to grow stronger. To put the new handhelds' success into perspective, the original Nintendo Switch sold 556,633 units in its first month back in 2017. This shows that the Nintendo Switch 2 is selling three times faster than the original Switch.

According to Famitsu’s sales charts, the Nintendo Switch 2 previously sold 947,931 units in Japan within the first four days. Adding to its achievements, the Switch 2 has also dethroned other iconic consoles, such as the Nintendo DS, which sold 1,268,846 units, and the PlayStation 2, which had held the record for the longest period since 2000.
It might, however, be prudent to point out that the Nintendo Switch 2, much like some of its competition, comes heavily subsidized for the region, costing just 50,000 yen, which effectively translates to $334 versus a global price tag of $450 or higher for most, if not all, regions Nintendo currently directly serves.

The above statistics however, just account for Japan alone. The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold a whopping 3.5 million units worldwide in the first four days, making it the fastest-selling system ever and inevitably, the biggest console launch in gaming history.

The bar has been raised. The Switch 2 might surpass 15 million units globally by the end of 2025, eclipsing the original Switch’s debut year and looming over the PlayStation 4 and 5’s first-year sales, which totaled 7.5 million each.

The question remains: will the Switch 2 maintain its headstrong momentum going into the holiday season, or will sales recede from its current highs towards the end of the year?