Nintendo Switch 2 sales are breaking records worldwide claim insiders
Unofficial figures point to the Nintendo Switch 2 being far more successful than expected, but Nintendo themselves are not saying anything.
Given how difficult it was to pre-order, and reports of retailers running out of stock for the midnight launch, it's safe to assume the Nintendo Switch 2 has been a big success.
However, there's no official confirmation of exactly how well it's sold, at least not from Nintendo. The closest thing is a comment from Currys, which said it sold 30,000 units in the UK at launch.
That's only one retailer in one region, but alleged sales numbers have begun floating around which, if accurate, point to the Switch 2 having the biggest launch of any video game console ever.
This is something analysts predicted over a month ago, although Nintendo itself lowballed its own sales predictions, with the goal being to sell just slightly more than the Switch 1 managed in its launch year.
Over the weekend, YouTuber Nintendo Prime claimed that the Switch 2 managed over three million units in its first 24 hours, which would be an incredible feat if accurate.
Even the PlayStation 2, the world's best-selling console, couldn't manage that, while the current record holder for most units sold in its first 24 hours being the PlayStation 4, at over one million.
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Nintendo Prime says he's heard these figures from three separate sources and he's only willing to identify one of them: Paul Gale of gaming news site Paul Gale Network.
Similarly, Pierre485 on X, who primarily shares games sales data, recently posted how the Switch 2 is doing very well in France – which has always been one of Nintendo's biggest markets in Europe.
At over 200,000 units sold, it's the fastest selling console ever in the country (almost double that of the PlayStation 5) and has generated over €130 million (approximately £109.5 million) in four days. More Trending
However, Pierre485 does stress that this should be treated as a rumour until official figures are shared by Nintendo of France.
Nintendo Switch 2 sold over 200.000 units in France• Fastest selling console in the country.• Doubling the previous record holder (PS5, 107k units)• Generated over €130 million in 4 days• Mario Kart World attach rate is over 95% https://t.co/99vAKe2KcX — Pierre485 (@pierre485_) June 9, 2025
There's currently no telling when Nintendo will consider sharing its own sales data, but if things are going this well, the company is bound to brag about it sooner rather than later.
If it has gone well then it will be a relief for Nintendo that US tariffs have not had too negative an effect and that complaints about pricing, especially for Mario Kart World, have not resulted in people staying away.
Ahead of launch, Nintendo admitted US tariffs stood to harm potential profits and if it increased the price of console in response to the tariffs (which it didn't), it would risk a drop in sales.
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For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 games list – everything you can play right now
MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour review – the dullest Nintendo game ever made
MORE: I've had the Nintendo Switch 2 for one day and I'm not impressed – Reader's Feature
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Evening Standard
3 hours ago
- Evening Standard
Best retro game consoles
The new console will boast 256GB of memory – a considerable improvement on the earlier Switches (the first one only had 32GB), and which can be improved upon even further with microSD cards. The only downside was the battery. The new console takes three hours to charge and lasts between 2.5-6.5 hours, depending on what games it's playing. That's not a lot of charge at all – certainly less than the upgraded Switch OLED with its whopping 4.5-9 hours of battery life. Then again, processing power doesn't come cheap, and the Switch 2's awesome power comes thanks to a custom bit of kit from gaming giant NVIDIA. While no further details have been released in terms of what that means, the software is capable of playing massive games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy and even the new Hazelight game Split Fiction without breaking a sweat. This is a bigger beast than its predecessor, though it still weighs in at around the same, at about 500g. It feels great to hold, and comes in a lovely matte black colour. The Switch 2 has a much bigger 7.2-inch screen (compared to 6.2 inches), that displays games in 1080p, and (bonus) it's thinner than its predecessor, coming in at 1.4cm width. Oh yeah – and there's no OLED screen, as with the later Switch models. This is just LED for now, which essentially means slightly less crisp visuals. There is also a dock. While it looks roughly the same as earlier models, it's also bigger, and rightly so – when the Switch 2 is docked, it will be capable of outputting videos at a 4K resolution, and playing games at up to 120FPS. That's no joke – it's certainly much better than any of the current models, and explains why the new dock contains a fan to help the switch cool down faster.
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
Nintendo Switch 2 sales are breaking records worldwide claim insiders
Unofficial figures point to the Nintendo Switch 2 being far more successful than expected, but Nintendo themselves are not saying anything. Given how difficult it was to pre-order, and reports of retailers running out of stock for the midnight launch, it's safe to assume the Nintendo Switch 2 has been a big success. However, there's no official confirmation of exactly how well it's sold, at least not from Nintendo. The closest thing is a comment from Currys, which said it sold 30,000 units in the UK at launch. That's only one retailer in one region, but alleged sales numbers have begun floating around which, if accurate, point to the Switch 2 having the biggest launch of any video game console ever. This is something analysts predicted over a month ago, although Nintendo itself lowballed its own sales predictions, with the goal being to sell just slightly more than the Switch 1 managed in its launch year. Over the weekend, YouTuber Nintendo Prime claimed that the Switch 2 managed over three million units in its first 24 hours, which would be an incredible feat if accurate. Even the PlayStation 2, the world's best-selling console, couldn't manage that, while the current record holder for most units sold in its first 24 hours being the PlayStation 4, at over one million. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Nintendo Prime says he's heard these figures from three separate sources and he's only willing to identify one of them: Paul Gale of gaming news site Paul Gale Network. Similarly, Pierre485 on X, who primarily shares games sales data, recently posted how the Switch 2 is doing very well in France – which has always been one of Nintendo's biggest markets in Europe. At over 200,000 units sold, it's the fastest selling console ever in the country (almost double that of the PlayStation 5) and has generated over €130 million (approximately £109.5 million) in four days. More Trending However, Pierre485 does stress that this should be treated as a rumour until official figures are shared by Nintendo of France. Nintendo Switch 2 sold over 200.000 units in France• Fastest selling console in the country.• Doubling the previous record holder (PS5, 107k units)• Generated over €130 million in 4 days• Mario Kart World attach rate is over 95% — Pierre485 (@pierre485_) June 9, 2025 There's currently no telling when Nintendo will consider sharing its own sales data, but if things are going this well, the company is bound to brag about it sooner rather than later. If it has gone well then it will be a relief for Nintendo that US tariffs have not had too negative an effect and that complaints about pricing, especially for Mario Kart World, have not resulted in people staying away. Ahead of launch, Nintendo admitted US tariffs stood to harm potential profits and if it increased the price of console in response to the tariffs (which it didn't), it would risk a drop in sales. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 games list – everything you can play right now MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour review – the dullest Nintendo game ever made MORE: I've had the Nintendo Switch 2 for one day and I'm not impressed – Reader's Feature
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Mario Kart World review – Knockout Tour brings a fresh way to race
Mario Kart World's open-world doesn't work as well as intended, but the new battle royale style Knockout Tour delivers a great new way to play. While the interconnected nature of circuits can lead to frustrating Grand Prix and open-world design, Mario Kart World's new driving mechanics and bold new mode makes it a fun time on Nintendo Switch 2. Improving on perfection is no easy feat. But it's a magic trick Nintendo has repeatedly pulled off. Just look at the jump from Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Tears of the Kingdom! And yet, if the Nintendo Switch 2 's premiere launch exclusive proves anything, it's that the Mario Kart series is a different beast. Mario Kart World isn't a bad game per se. In fact, several aspects of the formula have been creatively tweaked to the point of exhaustion, with new ways to race sprinkled in both on and off track. Yet that's also strangely part of the problem. With the exception of Knockout Tour mode, almost everything else Mario Kart World does best isn't necessarily new and ends up being a distraction. The result is a colourful kart racer that's still awesome to play in the moment. But one that undeniably pales in comparison to its immediate predecessor. Honestly, Mario Kart World's biggest problem is its need to try and usurp Mario Kart 8: Deluxe. Although originally a Wii U game eventually ported to the Nintendo Switch, the latter quickly grew to become one of the best value propositions in games ever, thanks to its (admittedly sporadic) post-launch support that saw new cups, tracks, and racers gradually arrive. Knowing this makes it totally understandable why the original Nintendo Switch never received its own Mario Kart entry. There was really no need! The Nintendo Switch 2 obviously doesn't have this same luxury, and so the race has clearly been on for Nintendo to try and push the envelope yet again. Its primary method of doing so is right there in the subtitle, yet it's hardly the saving grace of the package. That honour instead most definitely goes to Knockout Tour mode. Very much Mario Kart's answer to the ongoing battle royale trend, I was instantly taken aback at just how much racing, to, well, stay in the race, works to ramp up my competitiveness and makes taking every corner a moment of high tension and risk. Seeing the racer count whittle down from 24, to 20, to 16, and so on while trying to reach that next gate threshold brings a new degree of challenge not seen in the series before, and it's brilliant! True, the mode often feels punishing and a tad unbalanced, much like returning Mario Kart modes, but it's a thrill that really gives World a distinct new flavour. Players who have spent $80 to play at launch will no doubt be looking for it. World of difference This standout new mode is further complemented by inarguably the tightest, most complete feeling racing mechanics ever. Because, as if knowing how to effectively drift, boost jump, and deploy items didn't bring enough strategy to the act of racing, making almost every rail, wall, and train track grindable does well to make you approach tracks in a fresh, vertical sense. Mario Kart is no longer just about drifting and using shortcuts to gain the lead over your in-kart rivals, but also places a lot of emphasis on having you make the most of your surroundings. The primary way you go about doing this, of course, is by mastering what's called the Charge Jump. Although it takes a little getting used to, holding down the drift button without any directional input to charge up a jump eventually becomes second nature; the bigger challenge comes from actually using this build-up to know when to release and hit a rail or wall perfectly. Doing so incorrectly can be extremely costly, with crashes or missed surfaces often costing you a lot of momentum that you could have otherwise spent increasing your lead in the race or trying to catch whoever has managed to outpace you so far. The Charge Jump comes in particularly useful during interstitial moments during track transitions, which tend to be straight and don't offer chances to increase speed otherwise. Mario Kart World is no slouch in the strategic department, then, with plenty of planning and thought still required to maintain a lead over your other 23 on-track rivals. Does this increased racer count make racing through tracks more chaotic than before? To an extent, since tracks both old and new have been adjusted slightly to accommodate all those extra wheels with a wider breadth and fresh grindable elements. It's when Mario Kart's usual rigmarole of unpredictable item drops gets thrown into the mix that the chaos truly ensues, as Blue Shells, Lightning strikes, and Super Horns are deployed in quick succession to make you crash out and then attempt to crawl back. It would have been nice if new items like the Feather and Kamek spells had more of an effect, but it's probably wise not to upset the balance too much. Where things in Mario Kart World begin to go awry is in its attempt to make every track feel like it's part of an interconnected map. Taking the core Mario Kart experience and transplanting it onto an open-world structure isn't a bad idea in theory. The problem is, rather than learn from the racing greats who have made a similar jump (such as Burnout Paradise or Forza Horizon), Nintendo has stringently stuck to its guns to come up with its own interpretation of the concept. Turns out that it's one that's oddly stale and kind of boring, as all there is to do when driving in Mario Kart World's new Free Roam mode is to seek out arbitrary collectibles – seen here in the form of Peach Coins and Question Mark pads – that do very little else other than unlock cosmetic stickers. Far more interesting, if only slightly, are the P-Switch missions. There are well over 100 of them in total, which, when accessed, present you with mini challenges that force you to test out your driving skills in unique ways. At least, in theory. From collecting coins within a certain timeframe to performing some incredibly precise wall-riding tricks, in my 20+ hours of playtime, I found very few to be all that interesting outside of the sheer visual delight the interconnected map naturally provides. King of the road Unlike other open-world driving games that are absolutely packed with personality and things to do, finding the fun in Mario Kart World's version can sometimes feel like pulling teeth. The actual 'world' is by far the most inconsistent part of the package, which is a shame given its potential. Equally disappointing is how Nintendo's insistence on making most tracks drivable from one to the other seamlessly disrupts the standard Grand Prix game mode. Because while I have no problem with being able to choose whether I drive between, say, Sky-High Sundae to Dandelion Depths in VS mode, making this the standard in Grand Prix mode feels like a huge unforced error. It leads to huge stretches of the tournament feeling like an aimless sprint to the next true track, with only one full lap on a track making up a race – the other laps serve as these weird interstitial transition courses. Making traditional Grand Prix cups act as this way is a choice, but not the right one since it makes learning new all-timer courses like DK Spaceport and Boo Cinema much harder. It takes longer for their brilliance to settle in. Mario Kart World makes some genuinely bold attempts at reinventing its colourful karting formula. The problem is that most tend to be lacklustre and very few land with the intended effect. It's not a complete blowout, by any means, as racing against a full online group with up to 23 others is a blast and trying to three-star all eight new cups (either on the highest CC or in Mirror mode) is still a true challenge. However, it's the game's interconnectedness that detracts from the magically produced secret sauce the series does so well, with changes to Grand Prix's structure and Free Roam's inconsistent activities holding Mario Kart World's true greatness back. Knockout Tour is where the beauty of this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title truly lies, serving as the foundation for an otherwise fun but familiar kart racer. Having said that, it's packed full of potential that I'm eager to see built upon and expanded in future.
