The Nintendo Switch 2 The 2025 holiday season didn't fare as well as expected, and now a report is shedding light on why. Although many Switch 2 owners are enjoying their new console, the device was not able to beat the sales of the original Nintendo Switch during the holidays in its own launch year, 2017.
While the holiday may not have brought in the numbers Nintendo wanted, the Switch 2 has had no shortage of success so far. The console outperformed the original Switch at launch, and despite many early speculations that the system would struggle to move units, the Switch 2 sold over 1 million units in the US in its first week on store shelves.
Nintendo is reportedly ramping up Switch 2 production
Just months after launch, Switch 2 sales are soaring past major milestones, with Nintendo reportedly ramping up console production.
Nintendo Switch 2 sees some sales struggles during Holiday 2025
Now, a report from The Game Business claims that the Switch 2 failed to meet sales expectations during last year's holiday shopping season. According to their unnamed internal Nintendo source, the reason was partly blamed on the economy, as well as the lack of “a major Western game” released by the end of 2025. The report compared sales during the holiday shopping season of the Switch and Switch 2 in their launch years, 2025 and 2017, respectively, and found that the Switch was down 2% compared to 5% earlier in the holiday season. America. Other regions were not discounted, with the UK seeing 16% lower sales, and even Japan, which has access to the Switch 2 cheaper than the rest of the world, where it saw 5.5% lower sales in the last two months of the year.
While the Switch 2 came out with some strong hits, especially from developers outside of Nintendo, there are some potential weaknesses in its initial game line-up and overall sales plan. For example, the original Switch started with Mega Hit The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand acquired several Nintendo titles in its first year, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2and more. Switch 2, on the other hand, appears Donkey Kong Banana, Mario Kart World, Pokemon Legends: ZAand Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Despite the long wait Metroid And the build-up of excitement, like this and other original Nintendo games, may not be enough to drive sales during the holidays.
On top of that, the Nintendo Switch 2 is in the unusual position of sharing sales with the original Switch. The OG Switch is still on sale, and games are still being produced for it, including the one mentioned above Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends: ZA. Some gamers who own a Nintendo Switch may not see enough reason to upgrade now, while those who don't may have opted to buy the original Switch at a lower price rather than splurge on the latest console. The Switch 2 also launched at a higher price than its predecessor, with the base console costing $449.99 at launch in the US, while the original Switch was only $299.99.
The Nintendo Switch 2 still has a bright future
Although the holidays may not have been a bang for Nintendo's Switch 2 sales, the console will have more success in the future. Major entries in hit franchises such as Zelda, was killedand Splatoon It would eventually make its way to the Switch 2, and as the years went by, fewer titles would be released on both consoles, favoring the Switch 2's superior capabilities. Pokemon Even in 2026 will probably help the system Pokemon Pokopia More games from Nintendo as well as simultaneous launches of third-party games for Switch 2 only starting this year. Resident Evil requests on the way
- brand
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Nintendo
- Original release date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- operating system
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Ownership
- resolve
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- HDR support
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yes
