Nintendo has once again revised its hardware sales forecast downward, citing weaker-than-expected performance in both Nintendo Switch console and software sales. For the first nine months of the current fiscal year, revenue from Nintendo’s dedicated game console segment dropped 31.7% year-on-year to 895.5 billion yen (approximately $5.7 billion), reflecting a continued decline in demand as the platform enters its eighth year.
The mobile and intellectual property (IP) related income also saw a significant dip—down 33.9% to 49.7 billion yen (around $320 million)—largely due to tough year-over-year comparisons with the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023. As a result, Nintendo’s gross profit fell by 27.3% to 565.5 billion yen (about $3.6 billion).
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Nintendo has now adjusted its financial outlook for the fiscal year ending March 2025—the second consecutive downward revision. The company now expects to sell 11 million Nintendo Switch units, a reduction of 1.5 million from its previous forecast, and anticipates 150 million software units sold, down 10 million. While declining sales are expected at this stage in the console’s lifecycle, the drop has been sharper than projected.
Despite these challenges, the Nintendo Switch has surpassed 150 million units sold lifetime, marking one of the most successful console runs in gaming history. While overtaking the PlayStation 2’s 160 million may no longer be feasible, the Switch is closing in on the Nintendo DS’s 154 million unit milestone.
Nintendo noted that Switch and software sales during the third quarter—ending December 31, 2024—were “stable given the platform is in its eighth year.” Console sales for the period totaled 9.54 million units, down 30.6% year-on-year, while software sales reached 123.98 million units, a 24.4% decline. However, several titles performed strongly, including The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (3.91 million), Super Mario Party Jamboree (6.17 million), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (5.38 million), and Nintendo Switch Sports (2.63 million). Mario & Luigi: Brothership reached 1.4 million units sold.
Super Mario Party Jamboree emerged as a standout hit, surpassing the early sales pace of previous entries in the series during its first 11 weeks following its October 17, 2024 release. More importantly, Nintendo reported a record 129 million “annual playing users” in 2024—indicating that player engagement remains high even as hardware sales slow.
“Nintendo Switch unit sales declined year-on-year, but even in the eighth year since its launch in March 2017, Nintendo Switch continues to attract the interest of consumers, and sales in some weeks during the holiday season exceeded same-week sales of the previous year.”
With investors eager for the next chapter, all eyes are on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. While no new details were shared in the latest report, Nintendo confirmed that the successor console will launch in 2025, following the teaser video released on January 16. A dedicated Switch 2 Direct presentation is scheduled for April 2, where Nintendo plans to unveil key details about the system, including games and specifications. Additionally, hands-on events will be held globally, giving fans and media early access to the new hardware.
In the meantime, Nintendo still has a strong lineup of first-party titles in the pipeline for the original Switch, including Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (March 20), Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, both set for 2025 releases. These titles could help sustain momentum as the company prepares for its next-generation transition.
