By Ko Terada

Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold more than 1.5 million units in Japan in the first month or so since Nintendo Co. released the home video game console on June 5.

It is the fastest ever selling pace in the country for a gaming console, according to Famitsu, a game information media brand, which compiled the sales data.

Demand for the consoles has outstripped supply, leading to shortages, and there are more and more cases of the consoles being sold at inflated prices.

Selling 3 times faster than original model

Famitsu provides sales data collected from about 3,000 retail stores across Japan, including major home electronics retailers. According to Famitsu's data, total sales for the Switch 2 reached 1,530,826 units through the week ending July 6, the fifth week since the console's release date. The figure marked a record high in Japan for sales of a game console during its first five weeks, since Famitsu began compiling relevant data in 1996.

In terms of total sales through the fifth week following a console's release, the Game Boy Advance, released by Nintendo in 2001, stood at 1,367,434 units; the Nintendo DS, released in 2004, at 1,269,845 units; and the PlayStation 2, released by Sony Corp. in 2000, at 1,134,862 units. The Switch 2 has far exceeded all those models, and sales have outpaced the Switch, which was released in 2017 and sold 556,633 units in its first five weeks, by about three times.

For games, in terms of total monthly sales, the racing title "Mario Kart World," purchased as a bundle with the Switch 2 console, has already achieved million-seller status, with 1,185,113 units sold, demonstrating a synergistic effect.

A console's initial sales performance in its first month after release is said to largely determine its overall sales trend.

The Switch 2 features a slightly larger display and improved processing performance compared to the original model. However, its design is similar, and its functionality is not said to be significantly upgraded. Nevertheless, its competitive edge is evident.

With prices rising in Japan, the Japanese-language, domestic-only model has been priced at 49,980 yen, including tax, more than 10,000 yen cheaper than the U.S. market model, which is priced at about 66,000 yen. This pricing strategy is believed to be driving sales.

Nintendo has set a first-year sales target of 15 million units worldwide for the Switch 2. Starting in July, the company plans to release new games for the console, including the action game "Donkey Kong Bananza." For the year-end holiday season, a peak sales period, the company also plans to release "Pokemon Legends Z-A" as part of the popular series. The Switch 2 is therefore expected to continue to see steady growth.

Sold for high prices as shortages continue

Driven by strong sales, a shortage of Switch 2 consoles is ongoing. "Demand is exceeding supply in many countries. We will work to improve production and supply systems to deliver as many units as possible," said Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa at the company's general shareholders meeting in June.

Four official lotteries have been held so far for those wishing to purchase the console. The fifth round of applications is currently open, with winners expected to receive their products in September or later. Some major retailers began selling the Switch 2 in their stores in late June, but they have put certain limitations in place.

With no end in sight for the shortage, resales at inflated prices are becoming rampant. As of Monday, the Japan model of the Switch 2 was being sold on the app of major online flea market Mercari at prices between 60,000 yen and 70,000 yen, about 30% higher than the regular price. Meanwhile, China-affiliated electronics buyback store chains based in Tokyo and Osaka are buying the multilingual model of the Switch 2 for 15,000 yen more than its regular price of 69,980 yen.

In some cases, prolonged shortages of game consoles have led to price hikes that dampened consumer demand and hindered sales growth.

For Nintendo, which has supply chains in multiple countries, the key challenge will likely be how to expand its supply chain while avoiding the impact of U.S. tariff policies.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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July 16, 2025 21:26 ET (01:26 GMT)

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