Nintendo Switch Closes in on DS as Second-Best-Selling Console in Company History

Nintendo Switch Nears Historic Milestone: Just 10,000 Units Behind Nintendo DS in All-Time Sales As Nintendo reveals its latest financial results, the company’s flagship hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch, is on the verge of making history.

With unit sales reaching an impressive 154.01 million as of the reporting period ending September 2025, the Switch stands a mere 10,000 units shy of overtaking the iconic Nintendo DS—Nintendo’s current best-selling hardware.

This extraordinary achievement comes after over seven years of robust performance in the global console market and a strong lineup of first- and third-party titles available on the Nintendo eShop and through retail channels. To provide context, the Nintendo DS, launched in 2004, set a high bar with lifetime sales of 154.02 million units, benefitting from widespread appeal and a diverse software library.

The Nintendo Switch, initially released in March 2017, has continued to resonate with a wide spectrum of gamers thanks to its groundbreaking hybrid design and steady software output from both Nintendo and key developers worldwide. While the current financial data reflects numbers only up to September 2025, it is plausible, given the hardware’s enduring popularity and ongoing software support, that the Nintendo Switch has already surpassed the Nintendo DS’s record in the months since.

However, until official confirmation is provided in the next quarterly update, the DS remains in a narrow lead. Notably, the Nintendo Switch distinguishes itself not just in hardware but in software sales as well.

According to the latest figures, the Switch boasts an all-time software sales figure of 1,452.79 million units, vastly surpassing the DS’s 948.76 million units and demonstrating strong player engagement across the console’s lifespan. Nintendo’s lineup of consoles reflects a rich hardware history.

Here’s a snapshot of lifetime sales across its major platforms: - Nintendo DS: 154.02 million - Nintendo Switch: 154.01 million - Game Boy: 118.69 million - Wii: 101.56 million - Game Boy Advance: 81.51 million - Nintendo 3DS: 75.94 million - Famicom / NES: 61.91 million - Super Famicom / SNES: 49.10 million - Nintendo 64: 32.93 million - GameCube: 21.74 million - Wii U: 13.56 million - Nintendo Switch 2: 10.36 million (after just 4 months) In addition, Nintendo's newest hardware entry, the Switch 2, has achieved notable early momentum.

Having sold 10.36 million units within its first four months, Switch 2 is rapidly approaching the Wii U’s lifetime sales of 13.56 million—a testament to the Nintendo brand’s enduring appeal and consumer trust in its platforms. A Nintendo company spokesperson underscored this achievement, stating that the continuing strength of the Switch and the momentum of Nintendo Switch 2 underline the company’s commitment to delivering engaging experiences and innovation to the gaming community.

With the landscape evolving and continued support from the developer community, Nintendo is positioned to maintain its hardware success well into the future. As anticipation builds for Nintendo’s next moves—be it new software announcements via a Nintendo Direct or expanded features on Nintendo eShop—the data affirms the Switch’s legacy as one of the most impactful consoles in both the company’s and industry’s history.

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