Perhaps it’s not a huge surprise, given that apparently Switch owners are the most likely to own another console, but in 2020, the Nintendo Switch outsold Xbox and PlayStation in the UK by a lot. Like… a lot a lot.
It’s tempting to see this as a huge success for Nintendo, and it is, but it’s also a huge success for us – the people who play games. More than ever, consoles are moving away from the idea of “rival” consoles, and away from the idea that video games are for children and nerds, with accessible family games, fitness games, and even games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons that apparently drove some people to buy extra household Switches. Of course, a lot of Nintendo games are Switch-exclusive, and although Xbox and Sony have their fair share of exclusives, it pales in comparison to Nintendo’s first-party, Switch-only offerings, which is probably why many people seem to own a Switch as well as another console.
With the the addition of cheaper, handheld-only Switch Lites for younger people and anyone who isn’t fussed about playing on the TV (and a few predictions about the 2021 addition of a Switch Pro) the Nintendo Switch family is not as large as the Xbox or PlayStation, which makes its sales all the more impressive. Of course, we’ll probably have to wait a while longer to find out more about the Switch Pro… unless yesterday’s fake leak of a Nintendo Direct this weekend turns out to be true. (It won’t.)
Do you own a Nintendo Switch as your first, or second console? Do you think the pandemic boosted Switch sales? Discuss your thoughts below.
