Just as Microsoft and Sony are kicking off their next-gen console launches this week, Nintendo is achieving its own milestones of a different sort. Namely, the strongest October on record for Switch.
Sales of the console were up 136% over the October 2019 sales. In total, the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite accounted for more than 735,000 units sold in October 2020. The month was so strong, in fact, that the units sold figure is the second-best October all-time in the video game industry, bested only by another fruitful month for Nintendo, October 2008 when the Nintendo Wii was at the height of its powers.
The strong month also makes it 23 consecutive months where the Switch has been the best-selling console, though it may have a tough time hitting the two-year mark with both Xbox Series X|S and PS5 now out. The sales put the Switch's lifetime units sold at 22.5 million within the US according to NPD, and over 63 million worldwide since its launch in spring 2017.
“Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite continue to provide one-of-a-kind gaming experiences on the TV or on the go, allowing holiday shoppers the choice of a video game system that matches their lifestyle,” said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser. “Seeing encouraging sales growth like this in the fourth October of Nintendo Switch proves to us that the system has many more years and great games yet to come.”
There's been plenty of rumors about an improved version of the Switch coming sometime soon, but Nintendo has said announced no such plans formally. There's quite a bit of proverbial smoke for there to be no fire, but for those worried about how the Switch may continue to welcome newer third-party games on its aging tech, the recent additions of Control and the upcoming Hitman 3 both playable via cloud gaming may signal one way Nintendo plans to offer otherwise technically problematic games to its audience.
For Black Friday, buyers will be able to get a Nintendo Switch bundle that includes three months of Nintendo Online and a digital download code for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.