Nintendo Switch, the iconic game company’s latest console, is officially a strong-selling hit.
Nintendo Switch sales set a new company record in the console’s first two days on U.S. Store shelves, Nintendo (NTDOY) of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told New York Times report Nick Wingfield. According to Wingfield, who tweeted the news on Monday, Switch sales on March 3 and March 4 topped all previous Nintendo console sales on their first two days on store shelves, including the wildly successful Wii.
Wingfield, whose comments were earlier reported on by The Verge, added that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now Nintendo’s best-selling game to launch alongside a new Nintendo console, topping Super Mario 64, which launched with the Nintendo 64 in 1996.
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Wingfield didn’t share exact sales numbers on the Switch, but the figure is undoubtedly substantial. In 2006, Nintendo of America announced that it had sold more than 600,000 Wii units to stateside in that console’s first week on store shelves.
The success comes at a perfect time for Nintendo. The company has been struggling in the console market after the failed Wii U proved a drag on revenue. Meanwhile, Nintendo’s portable-gaming business continues a downward spiral as gamers increasingly turn to smartphones and tablets to play video games.
The Switch, which costs $300, is widely viewed as a make-or-break release for Nintendo. If it’s successful, the company could regain its footing in the hostile game market. If it fails, Nintendo’s hardware future could be in doubt.
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At least so far, Nintendo’s Switch is performing about as well as could be expected. The console has earned rave reviews and as soon as new stock reaches stores, it’s immediately purchased by anxious shoppers hoping to get their hands on Nintendo’s latest hardware.
But whether the Switch will enjoy the same long-term success as the Wii remains to be seen. Nintendo’s Wii was a smash-hit with more than 100 million unit sold in its lifetime.
