The hybrid king: How Nintendo Switch rewrote gaming history

The landscape of interactive entertainment has witnessed a historic shift as Nintendo officially announced that the Nintendo Switch has become its most successful hardware platform of all time. According to the latest financial data released by the Kyoto-based gaming giant, the hybrid system has finally surpassed the monumental sales figures of the Nintendo DS, a record that many industry analysts once considered untouchable. This achievement marks a defining moment for a console that initially faced skepticism but eventually transformed how the world perceives handheld and home gaming.

The race to the top was accelerated by an exceptionally strong performance during the recent holiday season. While the Nintendo DS had long held the crown with a lifetime total of 154.02 million units, the original Nintendo Switch surged past this milestone as 2026 began, reaching an unprecedented 155.37 million units sold. What makes this feat particularly impressive is that it occurred even after the introduction of its successor. Despite the Nintendo Switch 2 hitting the market in mid-2025, consumer appetite for the original hardware remained remarkably resilient, fueled by aggressive holiday promotions and a software library that continues to expand.

With the internal record secured, the Nintendo Switch is now eyeing the ultimate prize in the gaming industry: the title of the best-selling game console of all time. Currently, that record is held by Sony's legendary PlayStation 2, which sits at over 160 million units. Given that Nintendo has expressed its commitment to continue producing the original Switch and developing new titles for it alongside the new generation, the gap is narrowing. Industry experts suggest that if current momentum holds, the Switch is well-positioned to potentially overtake the PlayStation 2 within the coming year, a feat that would solidify its legacy as a once-in-a-generation phenomenon.

Meanwhile, the transition to the next generation appears to be moving at a brisk pace. The Nintendo Switch 2, which has been on shelves for approximately six months, is already proving to be a formidable successor. In a poetic turn of events, the new console has already eclipsed the lifetime sales of the ill-fated Wii U, which managed 13.56 million units during its entire run. The Nintendo Switch 2 has already reached 17.37 million units, with a staggering seven million of those sold in the last quarter of 2025 alone. Nintendo remains optimistic about the future, projecting that the new system will hit the 19 million mark by the end of the current fiscal year in April 2026.

Software performance remains the backbone of this hardware success. The Mario Kart franchise continues to be an unstoppable force across both platforms. On the veteran hardware, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has reached a jaw-dropping 70 million copies sold, maintaining its status as an essential purchase for every owner. Simultaneously, the newer Mario Kart World has taken the lead on the Nintendo Switch 2, moving over 14 million units in its short lifespan. These figures underscore Nintendo's unique ability to maintain long-term engagement through its iconic first-party intellectual properties, ensuring that both old and new hardware ecosystems remain vibrant and profitable.