The Nintendo Switch 2 has broken U.S. launch week sales records, selling 1.1 million units in its first week and beating the previous record held by the PlayStation 4. Launching on June 5, the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 proved that excitement for Nintendo’s next-generation console was at an all-time high.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched with significantly upgraded hardware, featuring a custom Nvidia T239 chip, eight ARM Cortex-A78C CPU cores, and a much more powerful GPU that supports Nvidia’s latest AI and graphics technologies. Compared to the original Switch, it delivers twice the number of CPU cores, up to four times the memory bandwidth, and six times the CUDA cores, along with 12GB of high-speed LPDDR5X RAM. With full support for DLSS and a dramatic boost in overall performance, the Switch 2 marks a major generational leap for Nintendo. Launch day sales reflected this strong reception, with around three million units sold globally within the first 24 hours.
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Wondering if the Switch 2 is worth it? We break down the pros, cons, and whether now’s the right time to buy Nintendo’s next-gen handheld console.
Interest in the Nintendo Switch 2 continues to grow, with new data from Circana showing it set a new record for launch week hardware sales in the U.S., selling over 1.1 million units during the week ending June 7, 2025. This figure doesn’t include sales from the My Nintendo Store and beats the previous record set by the PlayStation 4. Notably, 79% of U.S. buyers also picked up Mario Kart World, either as a standalone purchase or through the bundled hardware edition. During its first week, the top three best-selling physical games for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. were Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Top 3 Best-Selling Nintendo Switch 2 Games
- Mario Kart World
- Cyberpunk 2077
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
The Switch 2 also had a strong start in Japan, according to Famitsu. For the week ending June 8, sales data show that 947,931 units were sold in the console’s first four days. This robust performance in two of the industry’s most competitive regions further cements the Switch 2’s early success. Nintendo Switch 2 is also quickly catching up to the Steam Deck’s lifetime sales, which are estimated to be between four and five million units worldwide since its 2022 launch.
Aside from the sales numbers, there’s more going on behind the scenes. A recent report mentioned that a developer compared the Switch 2’s power and performance to the Xbox Series S. Nintendo has also started sending out surveys to early buyers to get feedback and better understand how people are using the new system.
- Brand
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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
The successor to 2017’s Nintendo Switch continues down the same path as its predecessor, providing a hybrid experience that supports both home and handheld gaming. Launching on June 5, 2025, with games like Mario Kart World, the basic Nintendo Switch 2 bundle comes with the console, Joy-Con 2, straps for the controller, a dock, an AC adapter, an HDMI cable, and a Joy-Con 2 grip.