I think there is a real possibility that it could be the best selling console of all time (and most likely the last console that has a real chance). The Switch was at roughly 55.77 million units sold as of March 2020 (3 years). I strongly believe the Switch will have another 20+ million hardware units sold this year and next (3 years in a row of 20+). So come March 2022 it will be at about 100 million units sold in 5 years (possibly more!). Then you add a couple years like the first couple (roughly 35 million in years 6 and 7) and it tail ends with roughly 20 million units to the end of it's lifecycle and it would put it right up there with the PS2.
Some reasons why the Switch will have a longer than usual lifecycle; first it has a mass handheld appeal that will carry the last few years of it's sales as more and more 3DS/DS owners migrate to the Switch. Second, Nintendo has a singular focus for the first time since 1989 (Gameboy release) and we will see that in the coming years. They are going to ride the Switch for as long as they can (as would I).
The Switch is a very unique system in that it appeals to more markets than any other system ever has. You have a huge handheld market that will be migrating to the Switch over the next 5 years as the 3DS/DS systems are being sunset. You have a mass appeal to the "casual" market. And there is a major appeal to the "hardcore" gamer's as well with some of the ports that have been accomplished (Witcher 3, Doom, Skyrim, etc). We have never really seen a system like the Switch, it will interesting to see how it influences the video game industry over the next 5 to 10 years.
EDIT: If GTA, CoD, etc ever made it to the Switch, it would be over.
Last edited by scottslater - on 02 August 2020Nintendo with the Switch:
