Nintendo Switch 2 Sales Forecast: Nintendo Projects 15 Million Units Sold by FY2025/26

Nintendo Sets Cautious 15 Million Unit Sales Target for Switch 2 Through FY2025/26 Nintendo has officially disclosed its sales expectations for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, projecting 15 million units sold by the end of its 2025/26 financial year.

The gaming giant announced its forecast during the release of its latest year-end financial report, marking a significant pivot as the original Nintendo Switch approaches its ninth year at retail.

Alongside hardware projections, Nintendo anticipates sales of 45 million Switch 2 software units within the same period – excluding bundled titles such as the upcoming Mario Kart World bundle, which will be available with the base model from June 5th. These figures reflect a carefully measured approach from Nintendo, as it transitions from the current generation console to its successor.

In its financial document covering April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, Nintendo revealed that it sold 10.8 million units of the original Switch in the last fiscal year, representing a notable 31.2% decline year-over-year.

Software sales for the first-generation Switch also dropped by 22.2%, totaling 155.41 million units, including 2.97 million units of bundled software. The company’s net sales for the year registered at 1.1649 trillion yen, a 30.3% decrease compared to the previous year.

Net profits followed suit, falling 43.2% to 278.8 billion yen.

The company attributes these declines partly to the natural slowdown expected as anticipation for the new hardware mounts.

After the Switch 2's unveiling in January, fourth-quarter sales of the original system fell sharply, with just 1.26 million units sold in that period. Despite the market shift, Nintendo forecasts 4.5 million additional sales for the current Switch in the next financial year, emphasizing the platform's resilience and broad game compatibility.

As of this report, overall sell-through numbers for the Switch are nearing the 150 million unit milestone worldwide, solidifying its place among the best-selling video game systems in history. Nintendo’s annual active user base dipped by around one million to 128 million players.

Digital software sales experienced a 26.5% drop year-over-year, though their share of total software sales rose 3.3% to 62.9% in the fourth quarter.

The company notes that mobile gaming and IP-related sales were also down, a contrast to the previous fiscal year bolstered by "The Super Mario Bros.

Movie." Highlighting FY2025 successes, Nintendo pointed to Super Mario Party Jamboree (7.48 million units sold), The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (4.09 million), and the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake (2.10 million).

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues its reign as a perennial favorite, adding another 6.23 million sales this year for a lifetime total of 68.2 million units. Nintendo’s management stated in its financial summary that their Switch 2 sales and profit forecasts have been based on United States tariff rates as observed on April 10, 2025.

They further highlighted their commitment to “accelerating the platform by expanding both hardware and software sales, leveraging the distinctive appeal of Nintendo Switch 2 and consistently introducing new titles.” As Nintendo prepares for the Switch 2’s global launch, all eyes are on whether the company will surpass what appears to be a conservative sales goal, given surging demand and an ever-expanding library of acclaimed games.

For now, Nintendo's cautious outlook reflects both strategic planning amid hardware transition and confidence in the enduring power of its brand.

Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Switch Switch 1 The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Super Mario Party Jamboree Super Mario Bros. Movie