Nintendo Switch Has Sold over 30 Million Units

Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch has sold over 30 million units as of the end of January. The figure comes from the company’s corporate management policy briefing, which was presented earlier today by Nintendo Director and President Shuntaro Furukawa.

The Switch originally launched in March 2017 and has been a major success for Nintendo, especially when compared to its predecessor, the Wii U. As of December 2018, the Wii U sat at 13.5 million units sold since its launch in November 2012.

It does appear that demand for the console is cooling a bit, however, as CNN Business is reporting that Nintendo now expects to sell 17 million Switch units during the fiscal year. This reduction from the company’s previous projection of 20 million units caused its shares to drop more than 9%.

The policy briefing also contains some other interesting figures. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has sold over 10 million units since it launched in December, giving it “the fastest start for any title on any Nintendo home console ever.” It was also revealed that Nintendo Switch Online, which launched in its paid form last September, has surpassed 8 million subscribers. Nintendo plans “to expand the service offerings” for Switch Online in the future, which is good news, because many feel that it doesn’t do enough to compete with PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold.

It remains to be seen if the Nintendo Switch can maintain its momentum in the new year. A few notable exclusives will launch for the system in 2019, including an untitled Animal Crossing game, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and new “core” Pokémon RPG. We’re sure to hear about more games whenever Nintendo decides to release a new Direct video, or at E3 2019 in June, which the console maker will attend.