Tokyo, Japan — Nintendo is projecting sales of 15 million units for its upcoming console, the Switch 2, by the conclusion of the 2025-26 fiscal year. The company anticipates even greater demand for software, forecasting sales of approximately 45 million units. This estimate excludes bundled titles, notably the Mario Kart World release scheduled for June 5.
This information comes from Nintendo’s annual financial report, which covers the period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. In the previous fiscal year, the original Switch model saw a decline, with only 10.8 million units sold—a decrease of 31.2% compared to the prior year. Software sales for the original Switch also fell, totaling 155.41 million units, a 22.2% drop that included nearly 3 million bundled sales.
The report indicated a sharp decline in net sales, which were recorded at 1.164 trillion yen, reflecting a 30.3% decrease. Net profits plummeted by 43.2%, amounting to 278.8 billion yen. In response to these figures, Nintendo stated it aims to amplify hardware and software sales by emphasizing the unique features of the Switch 2 and regularly releasing fresh titles.
Nintendo maintains that financial forecasts for the upcoming fiscal year consider U.S. tariffs effective as of April 10, 2025, warning that any future adjustments could impact those predictions. The company’s strategic focus on new hardware follows a modest fourth-quarter sales performance, where only 1.26 million original Switch units were sold after the announcement of its successor.
Despite challenges, Nintendo remains optimistic, projecting sales of 4.5 million Switch units in the coming fiscal year. This resilience is noteworthy given that the original console is entering its ninth year and will support a significant number of existing games.
Annual active users for Nintendo’s platforms have decreased slightly to 128 million, while global sales of the original Switch are nearing 150 million units. Interestingly, digital sales accounted for 62.9% of software sales, reflecting a shift in consumer preferences despite an overall decline of 26.5% in digital transactions year-on-year.
Successful titles over the past fiscal year include “Super Mario Party Jamboree,” with 7.48 million units sold, and “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom,” which netted 4.09 million sales. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” continued its strong performance, adding 6.23 million units to its lifetime sales, now totaling 68.2 million.
Nintendo’s commitment to innovation remains evident as it looks to navigate a competitive landscape while introducing the Switch 2. How the company will achieve these ambitious sales targets remains a topic of significant interest among analysts and gamers alike.