The Switch Has Now Outsold The 3DS In Japan
It’s no secret that the Switch has proven to be a roaring success worldwide. Just recently, we reported on the system’s remarkable achievement in overtaking PS4 sales in North America, and now it’s just hit another major milestone in its native Japan.
As reported by Game Data Library on Twitter, the Switch has now outsold the 3DS in the region, totalling an incredible 24,765,068 units sold since its launch on March 3rd, 2017. The 3DS has managed a total of 24,759,642 units sold since its own launch back on February 26th, 2011.
What this means, then, is that the Switch is now the third bestselling system in the region, sitting just behind the Game Boy in second place and the Nintendo DS in first place. It’s also interesting to see the sales trajectory based on major game releases; it’s clear that the 3DS had a remarkable surge in sales early on with the launch of Mario Kart 7 and the 3DS XL later on (a cheeky price cut probably did a world of good, too), but ultimately started to level out shortly after the launch of the somewhat divisive New 3DS.
Looking at the Switch on the other hand, the dips in sales have been very few and far between, which is largely attributed to the consistent release of incredible games, not to mention the Switch Lite and OLED model.
Let’s take a look at the total rankings, courtesy of Game Data Library:
| System | Total Sales | Launch Date (Japan) |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo DS | 32,878,490 | December 2nd, 2004 |
| Game Boy | 32,430,000 | April 21st, 1989 |
| Nintendo Switch | 24,765,068 | March 3rd, 2017 |
| Nintendo 3DS | 24,759,642 | February 26th, 2011 |
| PlayStation 2 | 21,980,000 | March 4th, 2000 |
| PlayStation Portable | 19,632,197 | December 12th, 2004 |
| Famicom | 19,230,000 | July 15th, 1983 |
| PlayStation | 18,855,344 | December 3rd, 1994 |
| Super Famicom | 17,150,000 | November 21st, 1990 |
| Game Boy Advance | 15,535,192 | March 21st, 2001 |
| Wii | 12,739,119 | December 2nd, 2006 |
| PlayStation 3 | 10,258,559 | November 11th, 2006 |
Quite the achievement, right? To think that the Switch has outsold the likes of the PlayStation 2 and the original Famicom in Japan is crazy! Can it stretch itself even further and reach first place? Given the sales trajectory compared to the 3DS, we reckon it’s got a darn good shot. What’s also notable, and a little bit surprising, is the total absence of the PS4 from the rankings; perhaps this just goes to show how much folks in Japan prefer handheld gaming.
Let us know in the comments what you make of the Switch’s latest milestone, and if you think it will surpass the Game Boy and DS!