Photo Credit: Getty Images
Nintendo announced Tuesday it has raised its sales target for the Switch 2 console to 19 million units for the current financial year, an increase from its previous target of 15 million. The company cited "strong sales since its launch" as the reason for the upward revision, also boosting its annual net profit forecast to 350 billion yen ($2.3 billion) from 300 billion yen. The Switch 2 quickly became the world's fastest-selling games console following its launch in June, generating significant excitement among fans of titles like "Super Mario.”
Sales of the games "Mario Kart World" and "Donkey Kong Bananza" are growing steadily, the Japanese company said. "We will aim to keep the momentum of released titles and continuously introduce new titles to expand the platform's user base," it added.
While Nintendo is diversifying into hit movies and theme parks, consoles remain at the core of its business. The original Switch soared in popularity during the pandemic with games such as "Animal Crossing" striking a chord during long lockdowns worldwide. The Switch 1 has sold 154 million units since its 2017 release, making it the third best-selling console of all time after Sony's PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS.
Nintendo said Tuesday it sold more than 10 million Switch 2 consoles in the first half of 2025-26. For the April to September period the company logged net profit of nearly 200 billion yen, up 83 percent year-on-year, forecasting record annual sales of 2.25 trillion yen.
"The Switch 2's demand will likely remain high, especially as the console ramps up sales in non-traditional markets such as China," said Darang Candra, director for East Asia and Southeast Asia research at Niko Partners. "We remain cautious, however, about whether Switch 2 can replicate Switch 1's 150-million-unit sales," he told AFP ahead of Tuesday's earnings release.
"Switch 2's long-term success will depend on Nintendo's ability to sustain engagement with new titles and also penetrate emerging markets" such as in the Middle East and Asian countries apart from Japan, Candra added.
Nintendo in September marked 40 years since the first "Super Mario Bros." game was released.
