Nintendo Switch Surpasses Wii in US Sales as Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Drives Continued Success

Nintendo Switch Surpasses Wii in US Sales as Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Drives Continued Success The Nintendo Switch continues its impressive journey in gaming history, officially overtaking the Nintendo Wii in US lifetime hardware sales.

Launched in March 2017, the Switch has cemented its legacy not only as a revolutionary hybrid console, but also as a sales juggernaut on both a global and regional scale.

Recent data released by Circana (formerly NPD Group) highlights this key milestone, reinforcing Nintendo's leading role in the competitive hardware market. According to Circana, the Nintendo Switch’s US lifetime hardware sales finally surpassed those of the iconic Wii in July 2023, marking over six years of sustained market relevance.

Although exact unit numbers were not disclosed, IGN reports that approximately 49 million Switch consoles have been sold in the Americas as of this latest update.

This feat places the Switch just behind Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by less than one million units in the United States, as referenced by GamesIndustry.biz, and within striking distance—fewer than five million units—of the bestselling PlayStation 2. Nintendo’s hardware proliferation is powered by a diverse and consistently robust library of first-party titles.

The momentum from 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom significantly contributed to hardware uptake, with existing owners also benefitting from high-profile releases such as Metroid Prime Remastered and Pikmin 4.

Additional upcoming titles like Super Mario Bros.

Wonder, expected later this year, are set to further invigorate the install base. Globally, Nintendo’s official data as of June 30, 2023, states that over 129 million Switch consoles have been sold, leaving Wii lifetime sales at 101 million units.

This enduring global demand underscores the system’s widespread appeal and cross-generational reach through both physical and digital eShop channels. When it comes to game sales, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe leads the charge as the top-selling Nintendo Switch title, boasting 55.46 million units shipped to date.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild holds the fourth spot with 30 million units, while Tears of the Kingdom has already captured the ninth position, having sold an impressive 18 million copies since its May 2023 release. This new sales milestone reaffirms Nintendo’s ability to balance innovative hardware with a pipeline of critically acclaimed games—combining legacy franchises with fresh experiences.

With a robust schedule of releases and a dedicated fanbase, the Nintendo Switch continues to establish itself as one of the industry’s most significant platforms, proving once again that the right blend of creativity and technology fuels enduring success.

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