Nintendo Switch Statistics & Numbers

Nintendo has posed a considerable threat in the video gaming industry with its generation of video gaming consoles. With PlayStation and Xbox dominating the video gaming industry, Nintendo had to step up its standard to be able to stand a chance against these video gaming giants, which now we see the video gaming company as one of the biggest in the industry. 

If you’ve ever played the famous Super Mario game that dominated the space in the 90s, then you should know that it was released by Nintendo. Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s newest video game console that can be docked for use as a home console or as a portable device. In this piece, I’ll be shedding more light on the Nintendo Switch’s statistics and numbers in 2022. 

When Was Nintendo Switch Released?

Nintendo Switch was released worldwide in most regions on March 3rd, 2017. The video game console was developed by Nintendo as a tablet that can either be docked and used as a home console or used as a portable gaming device, hence, making the console a hybrid console. 

The console has wireless Joy-Con controllers that possess standard gaming buttons and directional analog sticks on it for user input, motion sensing, and tactile feedback. The controller can be attached to both sides of the console to support handheld-style play, and can also be connected to a grip accessory to convert it to a traditional home console gamepad or be used individually in the hand just like the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck. 

The controller also supports local multiplayer modes. In terms of online gaming, the Nintendo Switch’s software supports online gaming via the internet, and you can also use local wireless ad hoc connectivity with other consoles. 

You can get access to the Nintendo Switch’s games and software on both physical flash-based ROM cartridges and digital distribution via the popularly known Nintendo eShop. The Nintendo Switch was first unveiled on the 20th of October, 2016. During the development process, the video game console was known by its code name, NX. 

And its concept came about as Nintendo’s reaction to several quarters of financial losses in 2014, which was attributed to poor sales of the video gaming company’s previous console, the Wii U, and various market com partition from mobile games. 

The console’s design was is aimed at a wide demographic of video game players via different modes to use the console. More standard electronic components like chipset based on Nvidia’s Tegra line were used by Nintendo to make development for the console easier for programmers and more compatible with already existing game engines. 

Since the company’s previous console, the Wii U, struggled to gain support from external sources, leaving it with a weak software library, Nintendo had to seek the support of other third-party game developers, publishers, and independent video game studios to assist in building the Switch’s game library. 

With this support, Nintendo initially anticipated 100 titles for the game library but got over 320 titles from first-party, third-party, and independent developers and they were all released by the end of 2017. 

How Many People Have A Nintendo Switch 

Since its launch, the Nintendo Switch sales have been successful as the console has now sold more than the lifetime sales of Nintendo’s previous console, the Nintendo Wii. According to reports, Nintendo was the most successful boxed game publisher in 2020. 

As the number of sales and monthly active users of the Nintendo Switch console hit an all-time record for the company. It is reported that there are over 1.7 million households with at least a Nintendo in the United Kingdom.

Although there aren’t exact reports that clearly state the number of people that own a Nintendo Switch, we’ll be looking at the annual Nintendo Switch players and the registered total Nintendo accounts on the Nintendo network. 

According to reports, there are presently over 80 million annual Nintendo Switch players meaning that there are at least 80 million Nintendo Switch owners. The report also states that there are over 250 million Nintendo accounts from over 164 countries worldwide. The number of registered Nintendo accounts was said to have experienced an exponential increase after the Nintendo Switch was launched.

As of December 2021, the Nintendo Switch was said to have sold nearly 104 million units. Going by these numbers, since there are around 80 million annual Nintendo Switch players, and as of December 2021. 

Nintendo has seen a total sales of around 104 million units of the console, we may assume that the amount of people that own a Nintendo Switch console is between 80 to 104 million people. To get a better, more accurate number we’ll go with the average of both numbers to say that there are about 92 million owners of a Nintendo Switch console.

How Many Nintendo Switch Has Been Sold?

Since its first release in 2017, the hybrid console has enjoyed 5 years of success in terms of sales and revenue generated. It was reported that as of December 2021, the video game console has sold a total of 104 million units worldwide. 

These statistics spun from North America, Europe, Japan, and the rest of the world. With these numbers, Nintendo is said to have been able to recover from the loss gotten from the not-so-successful, previously-released video gaming console, the Nintendo Wii. 

After the launch of the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo expected a record-breaking sales record for the video gaming console, however, all didn’t go as planned because the console didn’t turn out to be successful after launch. Subsequently, after the console’s launch, sales began to drop which led to Nintendo suffering a loss that didn’t seem recoverable until a new, more upgraded, video gaming console was released. 

This loss led to the inspiration behind the creation of the newest Nintendo console, the Nintendo Switch which since its release, has been a massive success and has helped Nintendo to recover from losses gotten from the launch of the company’s previous console, the Nintendo Wii. 

According to Statista, as of April 2022, the number of sales of the Nintendo Switch has increased by 2 million units from its previously recorded amount of sales in December 2021. It’s reported that the company has sold a total of 106 million units all over the world with North America having the highest sale of 39.05 million units. 

Nintendo recorded a total of 28.07 million units sold in Europe, 24.35 million units sold in Japan, and 14.76 million units sold in the rest of the world. 

Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Wii Sales Comparison

Nintendo was reported to have sold 18.95 million units of the Nintendo Switch video gaming console within nine months to the end of December 2021, lifting the total units of the console sold above 100 million units and beating the lifetime sales of the Nintendo Wii console to achieve a total of 104 million units sold worldwide in December 2021. 

Although the reported figure of 18.95 million units was undershot the previous year’s sales between the same period as that of 2021 as the company sold a total of 24.1 million units of the console, the milestone shows the continuing demand for the device even though it’s in its 5th year after launch. 

The Nintendo Wii recorded a lifetime sale of 101.63 million units which was surpassed by the Nintendo Switch in December 2021 when Nintendo recorded a total sales of 104 million units. 

The Nintendo Wii was released in 2006, with the redesigned family edition being released in 2013 and if we’re comparing both the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Switch’s sales with respect to their lifespan, we can see that the Switch has more room for growth as the Wii only made a total of 101.63 million units in sales within 16 years while the Switch has currently made a total of 106 million units in sales within its 5 or 6 years of release. 

This implies that we may see the Nintendo Switch reach higher for more numbers in sales to set a new standard for Nintendo in terms of the console’s lifetime sales. Presently, the Nintendo Switch remains the best-selling Nintendo console in the market, after seeing a total of 106 million units of the video gaming console sold worldwide.

Nintendo Switch vs Other Nintendo Consoles

With over 106 million units of the console sold as of April 2022, the Nintendo Switch remains the best-selling Nintendo console ever with the potential to reach higher numbers and maybe double the lifetime sale of its predecessor, the Nintendo Wii which has a total of 101.63 million units sold in all of its lifespans. 

Nintendo records the Nintendo Switch as Its most successful console ever sold as the console was able to help Nintendo recover from losses incurred from the launch of the Nintendo Wii which wasn’t so successful. 

Nintendo was predicted to achieve massive success during its launch since Nintendo was inventing something new by launching the console, however, sales became bumpy and began to drop over the years as the Wii didn’t turn out as successful as its predecessors and how Nintendo predicted it to be.

Since the loss incurred by the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo had to go back to the drawing board which led to the company inventing the hybrid video gaming console, the Nintendo Switch. 

Earlier versions of Nintendo games were recorded as successful during their lifespan, but none were recorded to have produced the numbers the Nintendo switch is currently generating in sales, therefore, making it the most successful Nintendo gaming console ever. 

The Nintendo Switch is predicted to make more sales with its high demand but due to the semiconductor scarcity which has hit the video gaming console industry, production may be slowed down. However, the company promises to meet customers’ demand to potentially increase the sales of the Nintendo Switch. 

Does The Nintendo Switch Have A Lot Of Problems?

Although the Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular consoles on the market, it also comes with its own technical problems. The problems may range from relatively minor cosmetic damages that can be ignored, to serious issues that have caused players’ consoles to be useless. The following list is the most common problems encountered by Nintendo Switch console owners:

The Joy-con Disconnect For No Reason

The most popular and most notorious of the problems faced by Nintendo switch owners is the left joy-con controller disconnecting for no reason. The Joy-Con can disconnect from the console at random which can be very frustrating especially when you’re playing a shooting game and you get killed in the process.

If you’re squeezing the controller, covering the front of it with your hands, or placing it behind your back, these actions may cause the problem and even worsen the connection of the controller to the console in the long run. 

According to multiple reports, the problem arose from Nintendo deciding to place the left controller’s Bluetooth receiver inside the circuit board instead of using a discrete component that would be positioned optimally in the controller. 

Nintendo seems to have created a passable DIY hack for early users. After sending in a faulty joy-con to Nintendo for repairs, it was discovered that a small piece of conductive foam was placed over the controller’s antenna. This conductive foam fixes the controller’s synchronization problem as it protects against interference. 

The Console Bends Over Time

If you’re one who likes to leave your Nintendo Switch running in its dock over an extended period of time, you may notice that the system has actually warped or bent slightly backward on one side. If the problem is serious enough, you may not be able to remove the system from the dock or place it into the dock again. 

To be sure if your system has bent, take off the Joy-Con controllers and place the system on a completely flat table or surface. If it has warped, you will be able to rock it back and forth. This particular issue doesn’t necessarily stop you from enjoying your gaming experience on the system, especially if the warp is very very slight. However, if the system becomes slightly uneven out of the box, you can send in your console for repairs at any Nintendo support store. 

Screen Freezes Or Flashes

Apart from the controller issues and problems relating to the physical structure of the Nintendo Switch and its dock, several users have reported that their screen freezes. They also reported the experience of horrible Switch seizures that causes the system to make a high-pitched squeal with its lights flashing faster. Some users also complained of temporary freezes that caused users to lose their game progress. 

The short-term solution that’s been reported to have worked effectively so far is to perform a hard reset by holding down the power button for 15 seconds until the system completely shuts down, then turning it back on.  Although this fix is a temporary fix, affected users have reported that the issue returns shortly after the hard reset has been done and won’t even be fixed if they perform a factory reset on the system. 

Since Nintendo’s consoles have a one-year warranty, it’s not advisable to waste your time performing a do-it-yourself operation to fix this error as it may void your warranty when you open the console. Instead, contact Nintendo’s support or the replacement unit for a quick fix. 

Dead Pixels On The Screen

Dead pixels can be quite annoying on any device, especially on portable screens where they are the focus of all your attention, mocking you for wanting an imperfection-free screen. In this case, the dead pixels work to affect your immersion, and it’s the only major issue that cannot be currently solved since the launch of the console.

On Nintendo’s support website, the dead pixels issue was described as “a characteristic of LCD screens” and says that users shouldn’t consider it as a defect. This means that Nintendo will not fix this via warranty claims and that you may be stuck with your defective screen with no fix. 

However, there are speculations that Nintendo may reverse its stance to not fix defective screens as they did fix in previous years, original DS systems that suffered from dead pixels and were turned in to be fixed. 

Short Battery Life

You’ll likely notice that the battery life of your Nintendo switch is quite short when you play the most graphically immersed games on the console. This is due to the battery’s horsepower that Nintendo managed to pack into the tiny switch console. After a couple of hours of handheld play, the battery may need to be recharged 

Although you may have the AC adapter that came with your console hooked up to the dock, you either have to go behind your game set up to remove it and let the switch charge in the dock or get a second AC adapter for the switch. 

Another option available is to purchase a switch charging case from third-party manufacturers that allows you to play the system more than twice as long as the standard battery would allow you. You can get the SwitchCharge which was released in 2018 to double the amount of time you can play the system on the go. 

The charger also includes a much better kickstand and 2 slots to hold 2 switch cartridges or even charge your phone if you need to charge your phone and your switch simultaneously. Another alternative option is to get an external battery pack that can be used for a smartphone or a tablet. 

Drifting Of The Joy-Con Controllers

After more than 2 years into the Nintendo Switch’s lifespan, there’s been an increase in an issue that just begun popping up which was said to be the Joy-con Drifting. The issue was reported to occur in the controller’s analog sticks, which register movements when they’re not being used. 

This issue is typically seen in worn-out controllers across different consoles, however, the problem has been very peculiar with Nintendo switch’s Joy-Con. 

Usually, if your controller is worn out, you may need to fix it yourself, pay Nintendo to fix it for you, or replace the controllers by buying new ones. However, Nintendo will fix this issue for you for free if it falls within your warranty period and the warranty isn’t void. So whenever you experience this, you can contact Nintendo’s support. 

Error Code 2801-7180, Issues Posting Images To Facebook

One of the remarkable parts of playing Switch games is how you can easily share your success and accomplishments on your social media pages. However, a Facebook error often prevents direct posts from your Switch to your Facebook page, hence creating a problematic host for sharing via this method. 

This error has a designated error code 2801-7180, and it has affected a lot of switch users, making them tired of trying to post their success and accomplishments on Facebook. 

This error hasn’t exactly been solved just yet, causing users to wait for the issue to get the necessary fix. However, since Nintendo may release new updates for the switch in the coming months, this issue may be solved with these updates that will be released in the future. 

Nintendo Switch Average Selling Price

Although When Nintendo released the gaming console, it was running for an average price of $299 per console, however, in recent days, the console rose to an average selling price of $462 per console. As of today, the average selling price for the Nintendo Switch goes for $469 on Amazon and in most cases, the price goes higher than that.

Although there have been issues with Amazon retailers hiking prices of products which customers have reported and Amazon assures to have a regulation in place for this, it still seems like nothing has been done about this because as of today, the price of a new Nintendo switch is listed for as high as $649. 

Nintendo Switch Guinness Record

Although there is no Guinness world record broken by the Nintendo switch, Forbes reported in 2020 about the hybrid video gaming console breaking its 22-month record of unstoppable sales and being ranked as the best-selling console in the United States for 22 consecutive months. This record was confirmed by the NDP Group analyst, Mat Piscatella. 

Male vs Female Nintendo Switch Statistics

Early adopters of the Nintendo Switch after launch were recorded to be around 70% males and 30% females. Now, the split seems to be 50/50 because the system tends to attract more women owners than the ps4 or the Xbox One.

Nintendo Switch Active User

The Switch console’s active users may be likened to the number of people that own the switch console. According to reports, there are 80 million annual active users of the console. It was also reported that in the United Kingdom, over 1.7 million households have at least one Nintendo Switch console. 

This shows that the Nintendo Switch is one of the most used consoles when compared with its peers like the Xbox One, and the PS 4. The Nintendo Switch is also said to have sold about 106 million units of the console as of April 2022, breaking the previous high of the Nintendo Wii which sold approximately 102 million units in its lifespan. 

Nintendo Switch Online Service Subscribers

According to Nintendo, the company reveals that there are over 32 million Nintendo Switch online subscribers in 2020. As of present, the total number of Nintendo Switch Online Subscribers has risen above 40 million-plus online subscribers. 

These active users are appreciated by Nintendo by giving them access to online gaming, exclusively released games, and some other freebies that keep them subscribed to the network. 

How Many Games Does The Nintendo Switch Have?

You can currently play 4,355 games on your Nintendo Switch console. This makes the gaming console one of the consoles with the highest amount of games that can be played on it. 

How Many Frames Does The Nintendo Switch Have?

Nintendo Switch features a maximum resolution of 1920×1080 and a maximum frame rate of 60fps. Although this is quite lower than other video gaming consoles within the Nintendo Switch’s range, the Switch console still provides top-notch quality to users which isn’t that much different from the rest. 

If you’re using the switch in docked mode, the system doesn’t support 4k resolution in this mode except you’re playing the Switch without the dock, where you have access to better resolution and the system’s OLED screen. 

Nintendo Switch Colors

You can get the Nintendo Switch OLED In different colors. The following are the colors:

• Snow White 
• Traditional colors: Neon Red & Neon Blue
• Halloween time: Neon Purple & Neon Orange
• Watermelon: Neon Pink & Neon Green
• Simple Gray