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in the U.S.

Nintendo Switch has become the fastest-selling home video game system in U.S. history. The home console that players can take wherever they go launched March 3, 2017, and in 10 months has sold more than 4.8 million units in the United States, according to Nintendo’s internal sales figures. That’s the highest total for the first 10 months of any home video game system in U.S. history, surpassing Nintendo’s own Wii system, which was the previous record holder with more than 4 million units sold during the same timeframe.

Here's Nintendo:

A strong library of games continues to fuel momentum for Nintendo Switch. In the U.S., more than 60 percent of Nintendo Switch owners have Super Mario Odyssey, and over 55 percent own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Not only are these games system-sellers, but they’re also two of the highest-rated games in history.

“Fans across the country have experienced the joy of playing their favorite games at home or on the go,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s President and COO. “Now that many more people have received Nintendo Switch systems for the holidays, we look forward to bringing them fun new surprises in 2018 and beyond.”

A strong library of games continues to fuel momentum for Nintendo Switch. In the U.S., more than 60 percent of Nintendo Switch owners have Super Mario Odyssey, and over 55 percent own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Not only are these games system-sellers, but they’re also two of the highest-rated games in history. Nintendo Switch owners also possess the fun, competitive games Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2 at rates of more than 50 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

More than 300 games created by third-party developers have already launched for Nintendo Switch. These include big-name brands like FIFA 18 from Electronic Arts, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Just Dance 2018 from Ubisoft, Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition from Mojang, L.A. Noire from Rockstar Games, NBA 2K18 from 2K Games, Sonic Mania from SEGA, Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers from Capcom, Rocket League from Psyonix and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and DOOM from Bethesda. Nintendo Switch has also received strong support from indie developers, with a steady stream of favorites like SteamWorld Dig 2 from Image & Form, Golf Story from Sidebar Games, Overcooked Special Edition from Team17 Digital Ltd and Stardew Valley from Chucklefish LTD.

This year, Nintendo Switch owners can look forward to Nintendo-published games like Kirby Star Allies, Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2 and a new game starring Yoshi. Fans can also expect continued support from major publishers such as EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Capcom, SEGA, Take 2 and Bethesda, plus a growing catalog of quality content from indie developers.

Source: GBAtemp Inbox

 

[FAST6191]

How many Wii U commercials have you ever seen, other than Splatoon and the Campbell's crossover?

I don't watch TV, not to mention I live in the UK so I am not sure how we are going to compare here, and have adblock online as well as generally doing my best to avoid adverts. As far as the more insidious forms of marketing they seemed to get them into the hands of many of the sorts of people they want that for, got all the articles they needed for people, be they traditional audiences or new audiences, to be aware and all that jazz.
I equally have to assume they had basic marketing analysis available to them. The egregious failures people seem to want to attribute to them (no advertising, people did not know, notable numbers of people thought it an addon...) would have been picked up in no time by such a team. Not to mention the gaming press would have picked it up and ran with it.

I'm wondering when Nintendo will come out of this "weak hardware" rut. It's generally worked for them before.. But after the Wii U you'd figure they would give us something more. I love my Switch, but it's still at the bottom of the list..

Weak hardware is something of a broad term. Lower powered stuff that is easier to code for, maybe easier to push to the max if you must do that (people tell me games are more expensive to make, barring inflation and related concepts I am not seeing it, just seeing people choosing to spend more), easier to code games of the day for (the NES was something of a scrolling powerhouse, today it is all about 3d and middleware). Sticking a custom built chip in a rarely seen architecture (which you tweaked beyond how most would grasp it) can still not get those flops or whatever up and be a pig to code for.

 

[Zaiphon]

You're trying too hard.

no

 

[SG854]

Yes, Nintendo is still in that rut. They took a completely different route, which so far is working for them. However, how long will it continue to work?

Hybrid consoles probably wont be as popular the second time around.

 

[oxitran]

But Nintendo's next console is the Switch. For their vision to be executed, they couldn't put in top of the line graphics, even if they wanted to. You talked about them needing to get out of a "rut," but would you say Nintendo's still in that rut with the Switch?


I wish they did. My guess was that they didn't due to supply, as it would've taken them considerably longer to ready a decent stock by launch since the X2's relatively newer, but it could've just been cost, too.

The tegra x2 meant higher price, bigger battery to run it as long so higher price again, and escalating thermals so higher price for R&D, more ram so you don't cause a bottleneck so higher price again. And then supply issues.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

thing is for some reason third part games look bad on nintendos consoles but there first party games look good mario. some 3rd party devs don't use the hardware to its fullest and just be lazy and port over the 360 and ps3 version of the game.

 

[Trash_McPhail]

You forget the initial price of the X1 and PS4.. The switch price will drop. That argument is so damn annoying.. The current prices of the Xbox 1 and PS4 come after 4 years of being on the market..

PS4/XBO don't have screens built into them, the Eurogamer teardown showed there isn't alot of margin in the current retail cost, until they can drop production costs RRP stays the same.

Wether an arguement annoys you, doesn't make it any less valid, or invalid for that matter.

 

[Zaiphon]

God this is such a dumb argument. Nobody bought a WiiU. These games are brand new to 99% of Switch's audience.

Ok noone did.

 

[FAST6191]

thing is for some reason third part games look bad on nintendos consoles but there first party games look good mario. some 3rd party devs don't use the hardware to its fullest and just be lazy and port over the 360 and ps3 version of the game.

Some would argue that Nintendo should have made hardware more amenable to such porting efforts.

 

[Kioku]

PS4/XBO don't have screens built into them, the Eurogamer teardown showed there isn't alot of margin in the current retail cost, until they can drop production costs RRP stays the same.

Wether an arguement annoys you, doesn't make it any less valid, or invalid for that matter.

Yes, it's invalid. You don't think cost of manufacturing goes down? The screen isn't even the most expensive piece. Cost can only go down, unless there's a shortage somewhere along the line.

 

[oxitran]

Some would argue that Nintendo should have made hardware more amenable to such porting efforts.

But again how do you do that? X86 down to ARM is a no go without a porting team. Nintendo should have their own porting team to lend out to devs, or a bigger one.

 

[Xzi]

Ok noone did.

Switch outsold WiiU lifetime sales in a year, so yeah, basically nobody.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

Some would argue that Nintendo should have made hardware more amenable to such porting efforts.

Like the wii u has more ram and was slightly more powerful xbox 360 and ps3 but they did not take advantage of it and just did xbox 360 and ps3 ports.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

You don't think cost of manufacturing goes down? Yes, it's irrelevant. The screen isn't even the most expensive piece. Cost can only go down, unless there's a shortage somewhere along the line.

processors and parts get cheaper over time as they get older so there will be a price drop at some point.

 

[Kioku]

Like the wii u has more ram and was slightly more powerful xbox 360 and ps3 but they did not take advantage of it and just did xbox 360 and ps3 ports.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


processors and parts get cheaper over time as they get older so there will be a price drop at some point.

That's what I'm saying.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

If it has a main series pokemon game on it its going to sell well no matter what.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

But again how do you do that? X86 down to ARM is a no go without a porting team. Nintendo should have their own porting team to lend out to devs, or a bigger one.

Actually according to devs way back when dev units were shipping porting is a dream using the official SDK

 

[LightyKD]

System menu music would be nice... If we're gonna start listing our demands, I might as well list mine! Wii has memorable tunes, I would love for the switch to have the same feeling.

 

[oxitran]

Actually according to devs way back when dev units were shipping porting is a dream using the official SDK

yeah with UE4 and unity, and not much else.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

But really idk how the system could fail with pokemon no Nintendo Handheld has sold badly people will just buy it for pokemon.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

yeah with UE4 and unity, and not much else.

A lot of games are using those these days

And assuming you have all the source files, it really should just be a matter of converting models/textures/sounds and re-compiling the code

 

[Kioku]

But really idk how the system could fail with pokemon no Nintendo Handheld has sold badly people will just buy it for pokemon.

Metroid Prime 4 will drive it even further as well.

 

[HaloEliteLegend]

Yes, Nintendo is still in that rut. They took a completely different route, which so far is working for them. However, how long will it continue to work?

It's a matter of perspective. That "rut" gave them the Wii and the Switch. A console doesn't need raw power to be successful. To them, it's their business plan, and it's given them successes and failures. Let's put things into perspective. The GameCube was the last time Nintendo's console outmatched competitors in terms of power, which then gives us the next three consoles: the Wii, the Wii U, and the Switch. The Wii is one of the most successful consoles of all time, the Switch is now the fastest selling console of all time. That makes two for three on Nintendo's successes with this business plan. Hardly a rut.