Switch 2 had some very strong months after release, selling a lot of copies. So much so that Nintendo adjusted its projected earnings for the next year just based on the sales performance of the Switch 2. But, weirdly enough, it seemed to slow down at the end of the year, from November to December.
This is definitely unusual, as December is usually a strong month for console sales, as everyone is either buying or gifting them on Christmas. But that wasn’t the case for the Switch 2 this year. In fact, the sales were less than what the original Switch did in its release year.
Switch 2 Sales Slow Down At The End Of The Year
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According to Game Business, Switch 2 sales in the US during November and December were down a shocking 35% compared to the original Switch in its release year. Things weren’t better in the UK either, with about 16% less sales compared to the original Switch. Even in France, which is considered a strong market for Nintendo, the sales were 30% lower.
Japan had a similar story, but the difference wasn’t as significant compared to other countries. The Switch 2 still had fewer sales in November and December in Japan than the Switch 1 in its release year, but the difference wasn’t as big.
However, the Switch 2 isn’t the only one suffering. According to US data tracker Circana, November has been the worst month in terms of console sales in the US since 1995. But because Switch 2 was the only main console released this year, the low sales hurt it more than others.
Thankfully, Switch 2’s early release days more than made up for this drop. The Switch 2 became the fastest-selling console this year with over 3.5 million units sold in four days after release. So, while the sales did suffer in November and December, the damage was a bit less because of the early success.
Despite the holiday dip, Nintendo isn’t necessarily in trouble; the console still posted strong first-year numbers overall, and its lifetime sales continue to grow.
