The Nintendo Switch 2 didn't perform as well as expected during the 2025 holiday season, and now a report explains why. Although many Switch 2 owners are enjoying their new console, the device was unable to outsell the original Nintendo Switch during the holiday season 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 outsold the original Switch at launch, and despite much earlier speculation 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 its launch, Switch 2 sales have soared through major milestones, with Nintendo announcing that it is ramping up production of the console.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is seeing some sales struggles during the 2025 holiday season
Now, a report from The Game Business claims that the Switch 2 failed to meet sales expectations during the previous year's holiday shopping season. According to their unnamed internal Nintendo source, the cause was partly blamed on the economy, as well as the lack of a “major Western game” released during the end of 2025. The report compared Christmas shopping season sales of the Switch and Switch 2 during their launch years, 2025 and 2017, and found that the Switch 2 was down 35% on its predecessor in the US. Other regions were not exempt, with the UK seeing 16% fewer sales and even Japan, which notably has access to the cheaper Switch 2 than the rest of the world, seeing 5.5% fewer sales in the last two months of the year.
While the Switch 2 has come with some strong hits, especially from non-Nintendo developers, there are some potential weaknesses in its early game lineup and overall sales plan. For example, the original Switch launched with a mega hit The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand won a number of Nintendo titles in its first year, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2and others. Switch 2, on the other hand, saw Donkey Kong Banana, Mario Kart World, Pokemon Legends: ZAand Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Despite the long wait Metroid and the build-up of excitement, that and others may not have been enough to drive holiday sales the way the original Nintendo games did.
Additionally, 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 made for it, including the ones mentioned above Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends: ZA. Some gamers who own a Nintendo Switch may not see enough reason to upgrade right now, while those who don't may have decided to buy an original Switch at a lower price 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 in the US at launch, while the original Switch was only $299.99.
Nintendo Switch 2 still has a bright future
While the holidays may not have been a huge success for Nintendo in terms of Switch 2 sales, the console is likely to have many future successes. Major items in hit franchises like Zelda, Marioand Splatoon will eventually make their way to the Switch 2, and as the years go by, fewer titles will be released on both consoles in favor of the Switch 2's superior capabilities. Pokemon also likely to help the system in 2026 Pokemon Pokopia launching exclusively for the Switch 2 this year alongside other Nintendo games as well as the simultaneous launch of third-party games such as Resident Evil Requiem on the way.
- Mark
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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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Proprietary
- Resolution
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1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- HDR support
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Yes
