It wasn't much of a shock when the Nintendo Switch managed to eclipse its predecessor, the Nintendo Wii U, in terms of sales. The latest Nintendo system has been an incredibly popular console, breaking multiple sales records in the two years since it launched. Now, the latest console to be outsold is the Nintendo 64, according to new sales estimates. Sales tracking database VGChartz claims that throughout the first half of April, around 200,000 Switch units were shifted worldwide, putting lifetime sales of the system just a tad over the N64's. In December of 2018, Nintendo had announced that the Switch had reached sales of 32.27 million units, while the N64 had achieved 32.93 million in its lifespan. If these sales estimates are to be believed, then in the time since January 2019, over 500,000 Nintendo Switch consoles have been sold. That means the Switch could have managed to outsell the Nintendo 64 in just over two years, while the latter had six years on the market. The next system on the Switch's conquest list is the Super Nintendo, which sold a massive 49.1 million consoles back in its day.

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[Owenge]

Good job Nintendo, ya did good...

 

[grey72]

It's like the next Wii, but good

 

[Xzi]

Assuming variants are coming, I think it'll outsell 3DS within a few more years. Lifetime it might get close to Wii numbers or just barely beat it out.

 

[DANTENDO]

Shit thts unbelievable I bought 3 nintendo 64s

 

[tpax]

Well, in the earlier days they offered a home console + handheld. Now they only have one device, which means we need to count x-gen-console + x-gen-handheld numbers. If Switch can't surpass those numbers combined, then it's not as successful as it may appear to the public.

 

[RattletraPM]

Assuming variants are coming, I think it'll outsell 3DS within a few more years. Lifetime it might get close to Wii numbers or just barely beat it out.

The sales figures are just crazy for a console that's been on the market for just two years, I agree about it being able to overtake the 3DS. After all, while it's been a succesful system, sometimes people forget the 3DS' first years have been pretty rough in terms of sales, at least before Pokémon X/Y came about...
About the Wii, it's a long shot, however it may very well happen if Nintendo releases a cheaper, cut-down version of the Switch kinda like the 2DS - and rumors aside, it isn't too hard to see it being made sooner or later

 

[x65943]

As a big Nintendo fanboy, I am happy they have been able to climb out of the hole the wiiu left them in

That blunder had me pretty scared for the company, and I wasn't sure if their home market would ever recover

 

[sTo0z]

Awesome news, I really enjoy my Switch, but I'm still worried about their seeming interest in mobile crap...

 

[BORTZ]

It's like the next Wii, but good

Man, like I know what you are saying but the years the Wii was popular were some of the best years of my life. I don't mean that to sound morbid or depressed, either. Legit, taking my Wii around to my friends' houses, playing Wii Sports with everyone, just... what a great time to be alive.

 

[grey72]

Man, like I know what you are saying but the years the Wii was popular were some of the best years of my life. I don't mean that to sound morbid or depressed, either. Legit, taking my Wii around to my friends' houses, playing Wii Sports with everyone, just... what a great time to be alive.

Hey, I know that feel, but in 2014 instead

 

[Arras]

Well, in the earlier days they offered a home console + handheld. Now they only have one device, which means we need to count x-gen-console + x-gen-handheld numbers. If Switch can't surpass those numbers combined, then it's not as successful as it may appear to the public.

That's not really true either because a lot of people owned both console and handheld, plus the 3DS is still being sold.

 

[Reecey]

Man, like I know what you are saying but the years the Wii was popular were some of the best years of my life. I don't mean that to sound morbid or depressed, either. Legit, taking my Wii around to my friends' houses, playing Wii Sports with everyone, just... what a great time to be alive.

Yes the wii days were cool but the nostalgia of the N64 playing Mario kart, Mario 64, banjo with your best mates was a good time.

 

[DANTENDO]

Yes the wii days were cool but the nostalgia of the N64 playing Mario kart, Mario 64, banjo with your best mates was a good time.

Yup snes to n64 was a massive leap and I was always looking through the magazines to see the latest images of Mario 64 and of course the controller design

 

[BORTZ]

I will say the whole idea of being able to just slide off a controller, rotate it, and hand it to a friend to play with you ANYWHERE is pretty dang cool. I wish there was a Wii Sports S[witch].

 

[tpax]

That's not really true either because a lot of people owned both console and handheld, plus the 3DS is still being sold.

While that may be true, it doesn't matter. Unit sold through is a unit sold through. And 3DS is absolutely irrelevant saleswise.

 

[Mama Looigi]

Hmm...
They need a N64 virtual console still

 

[aykay55]

Good job Nintendo, ya did good...

I guess that means we’ll never get Virtual Console...

 

[Owenge]

I guess that means we’ll never get Virtual Console...

They killed the thought of that when they created that retro game Netflix thing

 

[Spider_Man]

Yup you did good to surpass another system that wasnt very popular really.