Switch has second biggest hardware launch since NPD began tracking sales in 1995

[Landguy]

RolStoppable said:

The_BlackHeart__ said:
XBox One: Biggest XBox launch ever, breaks sales records for the company.
PS4: Biggest PlayStation launch ever, breaks sales records for the company.
Nintendo Switch: Biggest Nintendo launch ever, breaks sales records for the company.

In my book:

360 > XB1
PS2 > PS4
N64 > Switch.

Could this speak more about the fact that console gaming is more popular now than in the past? Other than the quality of this generation's consoles?

It doesn't have much, if anything, to do with popularity. After all, console gaming is definitely less popular now than it was ten years ago. The biggest factors for new launch records are:

1. Allocation of launch units bigger than in the past.
2. The number of potential launch buyers increased over time due to more and more kids reaching adulthood and having their own income to spend.

What can hurt these two factors is when the allocation of launch units isn't high enough for a new record or when a console is undesireable to begin with, e.g. Wii U.

I agree with you.  Nintendo decided how many Switchs woud sell by how many they made available.  I brought this up during launch week and everyone said I was crazy because they couldn't know how many buyers would show up.  But, when you mash 2 types of product (console/handheld) together, you have a VERY large base to sell to.  The 3ds is outdated and the WiiU was a dissapointment, that led to great demand for the Switch from the Nintendo fanbase alone.  They could have made another million units and probably sold them at launch.  The real test will be next year, not the 6-12 month launch window...