New numbers have been released detailing how well the Nintendo Switch performed in Japan during 2019 and to be quite honest they are a little mind-blowing! The Switch saw a 29% year over year sales increase making 2019 the best year for hardware sales Nintendo has ever had in the last 20 years. More surprising is that Nintendo accounts for 80% of the console market in the region for 2019 with 76% of that being attributed to the Switch. It is also reported that the Switch now sits at over 50 million consoles sold worldwide. That is absolutely insane!
As mind-boggling as it is, it really isn’t all that surprising given the Japanese market’s shift to a more mobile experience. Console sales have been declining for a few years and even Sony seems to have pulled out of the region with PlayStation now being headquartered in California. We also know that Xbox just hasn’t ever been able to secure a foothold in the region no matter what they try to do. Still, it is great to see Nintendo rebound after the complete flub the Wii U was in sales. I myself have greatly enjoyed the Switch since its 2017 launch and it definitely seems like there will be no shortage of things to play on it for the foreseeable future.
Have you hopped on the Switch train yet or are you holding out for a potential Switch Pro that has been rumored to release this year?