The Nintendo Switch is off to a hot start, but it's got a long way to go

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Nintendo's latest gaming machine seems to be off to a good start. According to Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime - as told to The New York Times - the new Nintendo Switch had a better first two days of sales in North America than any Nintendo console before it.

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Meanwhile, gaming mag Famitsu reports that the Switch has had an equally solid, albeit not record-breaking, start in Japan, while GamesIndustry.biz says the machine has had a decent debut in the UK as well. Given that the Switch is launching in March, and given that it has only one real must-buy game to start, these are all positive signs.

But as this chart from Statista shows, the Switch still has a long way to go if it wants to match Nintendo's past successes. The chasm between the Wii's success and the Wii U's failure is well-known by now. Less remembered is that the two consoles sold nearly as well in their first quarters on the market: the Wii selling 3.19 million units, the Wii U selling 3.06 million.

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Every device has its own context, but a console's early days are always when its most rabid fans are most likely to gobble it up. The Switch's early returns may be good news for the short-term, but over time, Nintendo will still need to prove it can maintain a steady stream of worthwhile games. Whether or not it does could have a lasting effect on the gaming giant.

nintendo console sales

Statista

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