Nintendo Switch is in more U.S. homes after one year than any other game console in history
The Switch is Nintendo achieving (Mario) Galaxy Brain.
In the 12 months since Nintendo's latest gaming machine launched, it's ended up in more American homes than any other console to date over the same period. That's a massive win, in case it's not clear. (Even if it still lacks the ability to back up your save data.)
There's technically no official sales reporting in the games industry outside of quarterly corporate releases. The broken record is noted in a U.S. video game sales report for Feb. 2018 from The NPD Group, a top market research firm.
This may be new information, but it shouldn't come as a surprise for anyone who's been paying attention. Nintendo even said back in January that Switch was the fastest-selling console ever in the U.S. after 10 months, with 4.8 million units sold.
There's no one factor responsible for all the success, though software in general has a lot to do with it. A barrier-breaking new Zelda game launched alongside the console on March 3, 2017, and several other big Nintendo exclusives followed throughout the year: Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and (in partnership with Ubisoft) Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.
Zelda, Odyssey, and Mario Kart are still huge, too. The NPD Group report also notes that those three titles rank 5th, 9th, and 10th, respectively, among the most sold games in the U.S. over the past 12 months. That's a bigger presence than any other publisher on the list.
(Sidenote: Grand Theft Auto V falls just behind Zelda at 6th on the list. That's incredible for a game first released in 2013. It would probably never work on a Switch, but we can always dream.)
On top of that, the Switch has also seen an uncommon amount of support (for Nintendo) from third-party developers and publishers. Blockbuster games like Minecraft, Doom, Wolfenstein, Skyrim, Dark Souls, and others are either out or coming soon. Those are joined by an ever-growing deluge of popular indies like Stardew Valley and Rocket League.
All of it is coming at a pace that is unheard for a new console in its first year of release. There were times in 2017 when it felt like Nintendo was announcing surprising additions to its imminent release calendar on a weekly basis.
Then there's the hardware itself. The Switch addresses a "need" in the industry, offering gamers a hybrid living room/handheld console that lets them enjoy barely compromised blockbuster experiences on the go or at home. There's never been anything quite like it; only Nintendo's Wii U comes close, and is likely the reason Switch exists at all.
Great news for Nintendo and Nintendo fans. Now seriously, about that save data....
Topics Gaming Nintendo Nintendo Switch
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
