Switch Close to Passing Sales of N64 (UPDATE: Now Passed!)

[Jumpin]

Mandalore76 said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

Yeah, but everything you just said can also be applied to the Wii U.  This description basically paints the N64 as a niche console with some very vocal fans.  If that is your assertion, then I can agree with that.  N64 is a lot like the Dreamcast or the Wii U.

Nintendo never posted any losses during the N64 era.  It wasn't until the Wii U development cycle and release that happened.  The N64 sold 3.6 million units alone in the US in it's first year which is about what the Wii U managed globally.  Also:  "During its first four months, the console yielded 500,000 unit sales in North America.[74] Nintendo successfully outsold Sony and Sega early in 1997 in the United States."  The Wii U didn't even outsell the much older Xbox 360 and PS3 on a week to week basis (even in holiday weeks) during its first year prior to having contend with the PS4 or Xbox One.  So no, not the same situation at all.

It was because of the popularity explosion of the handheld industry. If it weren't for that, N64 and Gamecube would have bankrupted Nintendo.