Nintendo Switch passes SNES in lifetime sales, gearing up for big 2020

Nintendo has announced that it sold nearly 11 million Switch consoles during Q4 of 2019, marking a few notable milestones along the way. Last year shaped up to be a big year for Nintendo, as it unveiled its Switch Lite console, and introduced several new features for its Switch Online service. All of that culminated in a strong push to end the year with Nintendo Switch passing the iconic Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in lifetime sales, setting its sights on another popular gaming console next. Head below for full details on Nintendo’s Q4 results and information on where the popular Switch portable gaming console is headed next.

Nintendo Switch passes SNES in sales

Nintendo has announced that its Switch gaming console totaled 10.81 million in sales during Q4 2019. That brings its lifetime sales to 52.48 million, passing the key 50 million mark along the way. Nintendo Switch bumped off the SNES in lifetime sales as well about halfway through the quarter, moving it into second place all-time on the console side of Nintendo’s operations.

Next up is the beloved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which has sold nearly 62 million units over its lifetime. Nintendo Switch should pass that number by the end of the year, with sales buoyed by the popularity of its Lite console released in mid-2019.

Still a long way to go…

While Nintendo has continued to move a notable number of Switch consoles in recent years, there’s still a long road ahead to catch the best-sellers of all-time. Nintendo’s GameBoy line has sold roughly 200 million over the years, while the portable DS has topped 154 million in sales. Simply put, Nintendo Switch is popular, but has a long way to go until it sits amongst the all-time greats.

Look for 2020 to deliver more sales on Nintendo Switch as the console moves into its fourth holiday season this year. While we’ve regularly seen 10% off or so over the last 12 months, Nintendo Switch has not been privy to the same type of substantial cash discounts as seen from Sony and Microsoft’s flagship consoles.

If Nintendo makes a move to aggressively discount Nintendo Switch this year, expect to see these numbers skyrocket even further. Of course, they’ll have to be careful not to drop the price too far as to cannibalize the Switch Lite. No matter, it’s fun to see Nintendo Switch move up the list next to some of the biggest names in gaming history, something we expect to see more of in the coming years.

Source: Nintendo