Nintendo Faces Stiff Competition From Itself

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Switch 2 hardware sales are ahead of the original Switch at the same point in each console's life-cycle, at 26.4 million versus 19.7 million units.See it on page 1
02
Switch 2 sales have been slower this year than last, Nintendo said.See it on page 1
03
The Switch 2 had a price hike in its second year, an event the article says did not happen for the original Switch.See it on page 1
04
Switch 1 games kept selling strongly, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Animal Crossing New Horizons each selling between 340,000 and 470,000 copies in July to September 2026.See it on page 1
05
The article says it cannot tell whether Switch 2 owners are buying fewer games or buying more Switch 1 games, because Nintendo does not report how many Switch 1 games sell to Switch 2 buyers.See it on page 1
06
Analyst Serkan Toto said he doubts Switch 2 will reach the 1.6 billion software units sold by its predecessor.See it on page 1

Summary

This is a Game File newsletter article by Stephen Totilo, published November 5, 2026, comparing Nintendo's Switch 2 roughly a year and a half after launch with the original Switch at the same point in its life-cycle. The piece draws on Nintendo's new financial figures released that day, plus analyst commentary from Serkan Toto. Switch 2 hardware sales reached 26.4 million as of September 30, six financial quarters into its life, versus 19.7 million Switch units as of mid-2018 for the original. Switch 2 sales have been slower this year than last, which Nintendo said, and the article notes the Switch 2 had a price hike in its second year, which the original Switch did not. By the same point in each console's lifespan, 86.9 million games had been sold for the original Switch, compared with 73.2 million Switch 2 games sold. Switch 1 classics continued to sell in July to September 2026, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at 470,000 copies in that quarter. The article also notes that the original Switch had three all-time classics in its early lineup, which the Switch 2 does not have.