I wonder which Switch numbers should I believe: Famitsu's or Media Create's

It's not the best, but it has its niche audience with a hefty price tag to keep profits.

It is quite interesting. It seems to indicate that, at least for now, the Japanese market isn't treating it as a 3DS successor. The GBC quickly faded when the GBA was released, GBA sales cratered after the DS was released, and the DS tanked after the 3DS was released. But the 3DS is still hanging in there.

It could be a similar situation with the PS2 & PS3 in the U.S. The PS2 was not immediately affected by the PS3's release like the PS1 was when the PS2 came out, and didn't see sales increase their rate of decline by a significant amount until the PS3 got a permanent price cut to $400. So, maybe the Switch needs a little something more before the 3DS starts to decline, perhaps a price cut and the announcement of big handheld titles like Pokemon and Monster Hunter.

heh, didn't even notice they were different until I saw your post, I usually only look at Media Create.

I'm under the impression that Media Create are more accurate (whether that's true or not who knows?) and since they're the higher ones anyway... people won't accuse me of trying to downplay Switch by using them either, so MC FTW!

Well, the thing is, almost without exception when a system's replacement is released it has an immediate and pronounced effect on the system it's replacing. It's not just handhelds. Home consoles exhibit the same behavior, regardless of other variables like games. The only exception was the PS2 in the U.S., and that's obviously due to the PS3's high launch price. The PS3 didn't have an effect on PS2 sales until it was cut to $400.

So, there's only two possibilities in regards to the 3DS: Either it's a PS2-like situation and the 3DS needs a price cut, or the market isn't viewing it as a replacement for the 3DS but rather for the Wii U. In either case, if Nintendo really puts in the effort to show that this a hybrid system meant to replace both the Wii U and 3DS, then 3DS sales will likely start to drop.

Yeah... In the west!

Things are different in Japan!

3DS has sold almost 500k so far  and it's yoy up, while its predecessor and percursor of its predecessor were extremly down yoy in the same time frame!

3DS is lucky, switch hardware nature ( which reminds the wii u ) ,  lack of 3DS  bc, software and hardware prices very big difference, 3DS still being supported and switch doesn't have the handheld ips yet!

Hence, the majority of people ( OUTSIDE GAMING FORUMS ) see it more like a wii u successor for the moment... Thus, wii u sales have fell of a cliff even since the switch release date announcement!

Even if Nintendo ceases the software support, 3DS could keeping doing well due to switch being overly expensive compared to 3DS/2DS!

Some people will prefer to spend 5000 yen for Pokemon s or m and 10.000 yen for a 2ds than 7000 yen for a Pokemon switch and 29.000 yen for switch.

And for the average handheld console  gamer, graphical superiority doesn't count, at least it does not count more than the affordability of software and hardware.

A more portable and afforable for the handheld console gamer, switch version should kill it...