The Nintendo Switch 2 Has Outsold the Disappointing Wii-U in the UK
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been a massive hit. Since its launch in June, it has become the fastest-selling game console of all time, and as time passes, it might even surpass the PlayStation 2 as the best-selling console all time. In the United Kingdom, it has already beaten the lifetime sales of several other consoles.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Has Outsold the Wii-U in the UK
Remember the Wii-U? It was Nintendo’s console before the original Switch. In fact, quite a few Switch games such as Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and New Super Mario Bros. U, originated on the Wii-U. The Wii-U became infamous for its poor marketing, which likely led to its underwhelming sales. Fortunately, after the Wii-U, the Switch’s sales were phenomenal.
Well, according to a tweet by Christopher Dring, co-founder of The Game Business, the Nintendo Switch 2 has now outsold the the Wii-U’s entire run in the United Kingdom. He stated, “Nintendo Switch 2 has now outsold Wii U, Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation Vita in the UK (NielsenIQ data).” He also claimed in the comments that the Switch 2 has outsold the Switch 1’s first year of sales. Like the Wii-U, the Sega Dreamcast and the PlayStation Vita were also famous for their disappointing sales.
Meh, Big Deal, You Might Say, but Look Again
According to The Gamer, the Nintendo Switch 2 outselling these low-selling consoles might not seem like an accomplishment, but we have to consider that the Wii-U, the Dreamcast, and the Vita were still major consoles for major game companies. The Gamer stated:
“Even though all three are admittedly examples of lowpoints for each console creator, they’re still major consoles that were on the market for years. None of them were pulled from store shelves after a few months. They were all the primary consoles for their respective creators at the time. So for the Switch 2 to swoop in and sell more units in half a year than all of them achieved over their entire lifetimes in a market as significant as the UK is quite something.”
As of Nintendo’s report on September 30th, the Nintendo Switch 2 has sold 10.36 units worldwide since its release, and those numbers have undoubtedly increased since the last report. For comparison, the Wii-U’s total sales according to the same report were 13.56 million units. The Wii-U debuted in 2012, and it was discontinued in 2017.
The Future of the Nintendo Switch 2
The Switch 2’s phenomenal sales are even more impressive when you consider how it still doesn’t have a lot of exclusive first-party games. When the Switch 2 first debuted in June, its main system seller was Mario Kart World, which, despite being a great game, generated a lot of controversy for its $80 price tag. Since then, other exclusives such as Donkey Kong Bananza and Kirby Air Riders have given people more incentive to buy the system, but we still don’t have new mainline Mario or Zelda games for the system, and other franchises like Animal Crossing also seem to be taking their time with new games.
The Switch 2 also plays Switch 1 games, and some Switch 1 games have gotten special Switch 2 editions, but many of these Switch 2 editions mainly focus on improved graphics and features like GameChat implementation, which aren’t likely to sell a system. The thing is that people know the Switch 2 library will expand in the future, and they want to be there when it does. When the new mainline Mario and Zelda games come out, they want to be able to play them. As such, they’ve got their Switch 2s ready.
