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NY Times report Switch sales in North America (from interview with Reggie)
- Thread starter LordKano
- Start date
MrFrankFontaine
Banned
Good to hear that they seem very happy with the release. I'm very happy with the tech and Zelda. Now show me the GAMES!!!
GregLombardi
Member
Wii was actually supply constrained for 2 years, I believe. Not many devices can say that in world history.
MikeyKlump
Member
I think week 1 will be 800k+ in the Americas.
Crimson_Gold
Member
Do people forget the initial Wii shortages? Production has come a long way since then. I'm happy for nintendo, but let's be realistic about what that statement means.
bananafactory
Banned
Seems like they did good turning initial hype into sales.
Interested to see how they try and maintain momentum and make a case for the many like myself who are still waiting for a good reason to jump in.
Not sure Spla2n in the summer will be enough, but holiday Mario could be huge.
Interested to see how they try and maintain momentum and make a case for the many like myself who are still waiting for a good reason to jump in.
Not sure Spla2n in the summer will be enough, but holiday Mario could be huge.
entremet
Member
In the UK I remember it being a big deal. Launching with Zelda helped too. But there was really restricted stock for months so it is hard to tell what that first weekend number was.
Good news though. I hope it continues steadily throughout the year and then adds a few million when Mario launches.
Splatoon 2 is going to be massive in Japan. MASSIVE. Rise to heaven memes will be abound once Splatoon 2 drops.
Agreed on the Virtual Console. I think that if Nintendo has one more "semi-big title" for Fall to go with Mario and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is actually happening this year then Nintendo is looking great.
Portugeezer
Member
We can't take too much from this, even the Wii U had a good launch if I remember correctly... Wasn't as good as Wii though. A good start for the Switch, Nintendo just have to keep the momentum going with well spaced out releases and system updates.
Hello? This is Hailun!
Member
So probably around 500k.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
That's...promising. It means people found it exciting
I really want to see what Splatoon 2 does to sales, and then the holiday bump after that, before we know if its on a good trajectory or not
I really want to see what Splatoon 2 does to sales, and then the holiday bump after that, before we know if its on a good trajectory or not
Version 3.0
Member
I wonder if that's intentional. The GBA holds the record for first month sales of a Nintendo system in the US, at 870k. That doesn't necessarily mean it had the highest first two days, since the article mentions the Wii is next best, but the Gamecube's first month is much higher than Wii's (647k vs. 476k).
But still, "second best to the GBA" isn't good PR, so why not spin a bit if that's the case?
I've never seen "first two days" figures for anything in the NA / US market. Sometimes for Japan.
For what it's worth, 1st month sales for the N64 was 327k. Gotta figure Mario was sold with most of those, since it was one of only two games available.
Nothing this early means much. The Gamecube outsold the Wii by a lot its launch month. But it didn't sell out, and the Wii did. Switch is sold out in some places. Probably a pretty good start.
I think things will pick up when Pokemon and Mario are released.
OricWindstar
Member
Great start! Hopefully, the Zelda / Splatoon / Mario trifecta is going to make this a huge Holiday seller.
whyamihere
Banned
Splatoon 2 is literally going to do the hottest of cakes.
Sword Of Doom
Member
We'll done Nintendo. Now you can kill the 3DS and give us handheld games on the Switch 
Wow, cool news. Hope it lasts because I'm really enjoying this thing.
Finally, Carnival Games HD
Finally, Carnival Games HD
When I got my Wii, the Wal Mart I was in line at for 15 hours had 11 tickets. 11 Wiis other than preorders. The local Wal Mart here had almost 70 switches in addition to whatever they had preordered. So, anecdotally, at my store (Parma, OH), had way more stock of Switch than Wii on launch.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Better then Wii? No way. I need to see some numbers.
Catchpenny
Member
I bought a 360 and Wii on the same day, five months after the Wii's launch. Went out to buy a 360 at Best Buy, they didn't have a cable I needed, went to Target for the cable, and saw the Wii in stock for the first time anywhere since the launch. Only time I ever bought a system on impulse.
TheDinoman
Member
In Japan, anyways.
ethomaz
Banned
.It is hard to say because It had only 7 days in November.
Iacobellis
Junior Member
I think the Wii was hyped from day one. While beating able to beat Nintendo's best-selling console is a definite feat, it's not a 1:1 comparison based on how much easier manufacturing is nowadays. Unless Nintendo somehow hits a bump in the road, it won't be like previous launches where a new system is consistently sold out for months. PS4 and Xbox One both did a million in the first 24 hours but were relatively easy to find into 2014.
BoboBrazil
Member
They were always going to sell out day 1 stock. It seems like they did produce more of these for launch than their other systems so it made it the largest launch in terms of console sales. How will they sell a month from now is the big question. I tend to think that after scalpers and die hard nintendo fans scoop up theirs, the numbers will plummet. This doesn't seem to be garnering much enthusiasm on the resale market, which shows lack of interest. PS4s were going for double their retail price on craigslist after release.
Forsaken82
Member
I have my doubts.
I think the potential is likely in a successor to the switch which my guess will be seen side by side to whatever Sony and MS cook up next (whether it be PS5/XB4, etc) Welcome to the stop gap generation.
GregLombardi
Member
Yeah if you were in active search or accidental search, you got one in that period. But it was a really long slog. I recall multiple holiday periods of challenge for people and absurd ebay resale values.
SomewhatGroovy
Banned
As someone who has criticised Nintendo for the past ten years, I couldn't be happier with the Switch and hope they succeed.
The Wii sold like gang busters months apon months, it doing better than it's initial launch isn't a huge big deal.
Pop-O-Matic
Banned
Wii was fucking massive from day 1 but it was also incredibly supply constrained.
I've found this article but I have no idea if it's any reliable at all.
http://www.pennoaks.net/archive64/Miscellaneous_Articles/N64_US_Launch.htm
It talks about 300k copies of Mario 64 (near 1:1 ratio)
Even though it's an enhanced port MK8 is out at the end of next month. That's still a decentish size title and then Arms is some point between then and summer.
This is what I found
http://www.pennoaks.net/archive64/Miscellaneous_Articles/N64_US_Launch.htm
EDIT: Damn it, LordKano ninja'd me.
Well, Mario Kart, ARMS, and Splatoon should do well to give the Switch the start it needs.
Yeah, new consoles generate extra interest because nobody has one yet. The first few batches are virtually meaningless as an indicator of anything. If it sells out at launch it can still flop, and if it doesn't it could be a slow burn that heats up a year or more in. I don't think anyone can say one way or another for at least a few more months. Honestly, I'd give it a year, let it see a holiday season. The hardware flaws and Wii U ports aren't doing it any favours though.
I was very excited about what it might have been until the unveiling, but I am definitely not convinced at this point. I was more impressed by the Wii U. I think some people just want to like it, so they do. That's the kind of appreciation that tends to fade. Launches usually lack substance, but this is rough.
whyamihere
Banned
Everywhere, probably.
It's Splatoon but on a system that wasn't the lowest selling Nintendo system of all time.