Nintendo Switch Overtakes DS as Company’s Best-Selling Console

In this article, you’ll discover:

• How the Switch finally overtook the DS to set a new record.
• Why the Switch 2 is selling even faster than expected.
• The current sales gap between Nintendo and the PlayStation 2.
• Which games helped drive this historic success.

Do you remember where you were when you first played a Nintendo DS? For a long time, that dual-screen handheld was the undisputed king of Nintendo hardware. But records are made to be broken.

It finally happened. The original Nintendo Switch has officially passed the DS to become the company’s best-selling console ever.

As of December 31, 2025, the Switch hit a massive total of 155.37 million units sold. This just barely beats the DS, which sold 154.02 million units during its run from 2004 to 2011.

It has been a long road since the Switch launched back in 2017, but this hybrid console just keeps going.

Still Selling Strong

Even though the new Switch 2 is out now, people are still buying the original. It’s cheaper, and the library of games is huge.

In the last few months of 2025, Nintendo sold another 1.36 million original Switch units. That little push was exactly what they needed to claim the top spot.

Christopher Dring, an industry expert, noted that there were “very low expectations” for the Switch when it first came out. But Nintendo proved everyone wrong.

He explained that powerhouse franchises drove this success. “Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and Mario Kart have all had their most successful games released during the Switch 1 era,” Dring said.

The Switch 2 Takes Off

While the original Switch is taking a victory lap, its successor is off to a flying start.

The Switch 2 had a massive holiday season. It moved 7.01 million units recently, bringing its total to 17.37 million since it launched. Nintendo says this makes it the “fastest-selling dedicated video platform released by Nintendo to date.”

The company originally thought they would sell 15 million consoles by March 2026. They already smashed that goal.

Chasing the PlayStation 2

There is only one final boss left for the Switch to beat.

The PlayStation 2 is still the best-selling console of all time from any company. Sony sold over 160 million of them.

Right now, the Switch is trailing the PS2 by just 4.63 million units.

Can it get there? Maybe. Since the Switch 2 is the new main focus, sales for the old Switch might slow down. Chris Scullion from Video Games Chronicle noted that while the sequel is doing great, it might not reach the same crazy highs as the first one due to the “current economic situation” and other factors.

Why We Loved It

Why did the Switch do so well? It wasn’t just the games. It was the timing.

Rachel Watts, a freelance games journalist, pointed out that the pandemic played a big role. “Everyone I knew had a Nintendo Switch,” she said.

When we were all stuck at home, we needed a way to escape. The Switch was perfect for that. Watts added, “Nintendo’s roster includes games geared towards younger audiences, and, as a handheld console, it made the Switch incredibly popular.”

Looking Ahead

Nintendo is in a good spot right now. Profits are up 20 percent compared to last year, sitting at roughly $1.03 billion.

However, they are watching costs closely. Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa mentioned that higher memory chip prices could hurt profits a bit in 2026.

But for now, it is all about the games. Mario Kart World has already sold 14 million copies. Plus, with Mario Tennis Fever arriving just yesterday on Feb 12 and Pokemon Pokopia coming in March, there is plenty to play.

The original Switch has had an amazing run. It is officially Nintendo’s biggest success, and it might just become the biggest console of all time.