Switch 2 Shatters Global Records With 3.5 Million Sales in Four Days

The numbers are in, and they're massive: the Nintendo Switch 2 has sold over 3.5 million units worldwide within just four days of launch. Nintendo confirmed the staggering figure in a social media announcement, making it official—this is not only the company’s fastest-selling console ever, but the fastest-selling video game console in history.

This performance blows past Nintendo's previous milestones, especially when compared to the original Switch, which sold 2.7 million units in its entire first month back in 2017. Even more impressively, the Switch 2 is already edging out Sony’s PlayStation 5, which shipped (not sold) 3.4 million units in four weeks—a number hindered by supply chain issues during the pandemic. Nintendo, having learned from the last console cycle, made sure supply was solid, and it paid off big time.

“Over 3.5 million units sold in four days” – Nintendo on X

This figure includes significant contributions from Europe, where countries like France saw record-shattering numbers. According to Pierre485, a respected sales tracker on X, France alone moved more than 200,000 Switch 2 consoles in the same four-day window. That’s nearly twice the PS5’s debut in the same market and adds up to more than €130 million in revenue. If Nintendo keeps up this pace, their internal goal of 15 million units sold by the end of March 2026 might not just be achievable—it might be conservative.

The UK numbers paint a slightly different picture. While the Switch 2 became Nintendo’s fastest seller in the region, it landed fourth overall behind the launches of the Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5. But considering the UK has always been Nintendo’s weakest major market, this isn’t exactly a red flag—more like an expected hiccup in an otherwise flawless start.

Now here’s where things get more spicy.

“Three million in 24 hours. Let that sink in.”

That’s the claim coming from YouTuber Nintendo Prime, who reported that the Switch 2 cleared the three million mark within just the first 24 hours. While Nintendo hasn’t confirmed this particular stat, Nintendo Prime says he’s heard it from three sources, including veteran reporter Paul Gale. Even if these numbers are off by a few hundred thousand, it still puts the Switch 2 in rare air—faster than anything PlayStation or Xbox has ever pulled off.

Another interesting tidbit: UK retailer Currys claims it sold 30,000 units during launch. That’s just one chain in one country. Stack that with sold-out preorders, long lines for midnight launches, and resellers complaining about low scalping potential, and the landscape becomes pretty clear—this console isn’t just popular, it’s available, and that makes all the difference.

What separates this launch from Nintendo’s past is how smooth everything has gone. No major shortages, no technical hiccups, no quiet backpedaling like with the Wii U. From day one, Nintendo’s supply chain seemed locked in. That speaks to a broader strategy: flood the market, beat scalpers, and satisfy demand while the hype is real. It worked.

On a more strategic note, Nintendo appears to be recalibrating its goals upward. While early internal targets aimed for moderate growth over the original Switch’s first-year numbers, this explosive start makes it clear those targets will need adjusting. Analysts predicted something like this months ago, but even they might be underestimating how quickly this console could dominate.

From a competitive standpoint, Nintendo’s aggressive rollout also comes at a time when Sony and Microsoft aren’t releasing new hardware. That gives the Switch 2 a clean runway to capitalize on global attention without being drowned out by competing headlines. Combine that with a robust first-year software lineup and nostalgic hardware design, and you’ve got a perfect storm.

Now the real question is: can they sustain it? Early adopters are in, but the long-term game is all about software, third-party support, and keeping units on shelves. Nintendo has stumbled in this phase before, but if they’ve learned anything from the original Switch lifecycle, it's that strong starts don’t have to fade out.

In four days, the Switch 2 has rewritten console launch history. What comes next might determine whether it becomes the next PlayStation 2—or the next Wii.