Nintendo Switch 2 sales impress, but fewer buyers are purchasing games than with prior console

With 10.36 million units sold, Nintendo’s latest console is even more popular than its predecessor. Still, Switch 2 games aren’t selling at the same pace. Bloomberg analyzed the recent Nintendo financial report and found some surprising trends. However, the way the company records software data may make the comparisons misleading.

Bloomberg’s Takashi Mochizuki discussed the findings of Asymmetric Advisors analyst Amir Anvarzadeh. Although Nintendo is enjoying strong Switch 2 sales, it’s also relying heavily on the handheld’s backward compatibility. He warns that “any weakness in game sales from next term could hit its share price hard”.

The Japanese gaming giant reports Switch 2 software sales of 20.62 million units through September 2025. While that’s about double the number of consoles, by this point, the original Switch had sold three times as many games as handhelds.

Nintendo has a unique gameplan for the Switch 2

Nintendo’s strategy involves encouraging as many gamers as possible to purchase new hardware. That said, buyers aren’t judging the selection of new games as appealing. Mario Kart World benefited from a popular bundle. Otherwise, few other new first-party titles arrived in the console’s first four months. Fans won’t see the impact of Switch 2 games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A until future reports.

For now, buyers are content with Switch games and available free or paid upgrade packs. Preferring quality or quantity, Nintendo encourages Switch 2 owners to collect older titles. Boosted by backward compatibility, the goal is to have the hardware in homes once newer releases arrive. Considering game sales are more profitable, Bloomberg recognizes some risk in this approach.

Mochizuki is receiving some criticism for his analysis of Switch 2 sales. Nintendo Patents Watch on Bluesky points out that the company counts digital Switch 2 upgrades as Switch revenue. Also, purchases of exclusively digital titles aren’t factored in at all. Nevertheless, the success of the new console remains tied to the previous generation's software.