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Nintendo Switch Sales Hit 17 Million, PS4 Ships 79 Million
The video game industry is celebrating a bumper year after shifting an incredible number of Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 4 consoles.
Launching last March, the Nintendo Switch has sent the likes of Mario (the former) plumber and the tunic-wearing Link into the next generation of consoles. The Switch has already become the fastest-selling console in US history and is reaping the rewards of its endeavors. Elsewhere, the powerhouse that is the PS4 has continued its solid sales and is set for a great 2018 in partial thanks to its slew of exclusive titles.
According to Gamasutra, the Switch has now sold 17.79 million units, with 15.05 of them coming in the last fiscal year. Considering the Switch is still a baby when compared to its Sony and Microsoft competitors, new president Tatsumi Kimishima is likely to be over the moon. However, it isn’t just the hardware doing well. Acclaimed games like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon are credited with the Switch’s combined software sales of 68.97 million.
As for Sony, Destructoid reports that the company is keen to not be outshined by Nintendo. Just after the house that Mario built announced its financial reports, Sony recorded that the PlayStation 4 has now sold a whopping 79 million units worldwide. Just passing Nintendo, the PS4 has shipped 19 million in the last fiscal year, with 2.5 million of those in the fourth quarter. Outlining the company’s future targets, Sony hopes to sell another 16 million PS4s before March 2019. Considering sales are down by roughly a million from last year, it is an ambitious benchmark to set, but let’s not forget that 2018 will see some major titles released on the console.
Both the Switch and PS4 can proudly look back at their sales and a continuing future of success, however, it seems unlikely that anything will ever top the might of the PlayStation 2 as the best-selling console of all time. Making up the rest of the Top 5, the Nintendo DS comes in second, followed by the Game Boy/Color, original PlayStation and the Nintendo Wii. Interestingly, if the PS4 hits its proposed sales and nudges into the 102 million territory, it would topple the Wii and sit alongside its first generation in the elusive ranks of best-selling consoles of all time.
In particular, Nintendo has faced a big year of change, however, with some younger blood to lead the company into a new era, things look to be on the up. Added to the sales of the Switch, Nintendo has also sold an impressive 5 million units of the Super Nintendo Classic consoles and has some great titles up its sleeve. Already outpacing the Wii U’s disappointing sales of 13.56 million, Nintendo hopes to sell another 20 million Switches in the rest of the financial year. Thankfully, the console can expect another boost thanks to upcoming titles including Super Smash Bros., hopes for a new generation Pokémon game, and that crafty Labo system. Mario is getting ready to tip his hat to his creators for a great 2018/2019.
