So I frequent another board which doesn't focus on video games and though there are gamers there it's hardly what I'd call a rabid gaming community but noticed the attachment rate on the Switch seemed surprisingly high considering the complete lack of interest in the Wii U so I went to see if there are any articles to confirm what I suspected, has the Switch quietly exceeded launch expectations?

Another flag that made me check this was that earlier today I went into my break room at work, my workplace employees around 50 people on the site I work at and very few of them are what I'd consider 'gamers' or even interested in gaming, and low and behold sat at the table were 2 other people who I had no idea were into video games sat there playing Zelda on their brand new switches, these people didn't know the Wii U existed as an individual console (both thought it was an addon)

Anyways so I've done some snooping online and the sales in Europe and UK have been especially high, outselling any other Nintendo console at launch in history and selling more than double than the double the Wii U on the launch weekend. 3 Games currently sit in the top 10 in the UK (Zelda, 1 2 Switch and Bomberman) and more copies of Zelda have been sold than Wii Sports on launch weekend (which was a pack in)

http://www.wired.co.uk/article/nintendo-switch-launch-figures-outsells-wii-u

The article also goes on to mention how in Japan it didn't quite sell as much as the PS4 on launch but was only 8,400 shy selling 322,100 units. Whilst there is every chance that the console has got the majority of its installed userbase out of the gate as there is a die hardcore contingent of Nintendo fans the early sales figures are encouraging to say the least. I personally love the device, I was a skeptic that was won over by clever marketing and the slow realization that the Switch offered a legitimately different experience to every other console on the market without relying too heavily on gimmicks. I had no intention of buying it after the unveil but slowly but surely the appeal became clearer to me and it seems to be the case to many more people. The device isn't perfect and could use some revisions to reach it's full potential I'm now more optimistic than ever that Nintendo might find it's self a new niche with the Switch.

I'll be really curious to see what happens at E3. If Nintendo can get both Xenoblades 2 and Mario Odyssey out as well as the expected Wii U ports (mario maker + smash 4), I think this thing could have a pretty strong lineup going into the holiday season. The rumored Pokemon Stars showing up in the fall as well would help for the mainstream audience as well.

Forgot to mention though, the sales are still dwarfed by the PS4 globally on launch. That thing sold mindblowingly well

It's doing well at launch but I'd still wait and see, as launch sales and 'word of mouth' don't always lead to great sales later on. Ars Technica has a good article expanding on this: Ars Technica: Don’t read too much into Nintendo Switch’s big launch numbers.

Personally I'm hoping it stays popular in order to entice some Wii U games to get ported over, as I skipped that generation of Nintendo console.

I haven't read too much about the Switch hype and reception beyond this forum. Still think it's weird that quite a bit of people here thought it would suck. We'll still have to wait and see I guess, but I both think and hope it will be a great success.

Oh no absolutely

There is the very real question of how many of the early adopters are made up of the devote nintendo fanbase and how big is the potential market? Also it came out with a killer app but then there is a bit of a wasteland, especially if you owned a Wii U. But so far it's a positive indicator that there will be an install base to justify strong support, at the very least from the indies, which can hopefully elevate this to a status where it's a more successful and better supported Vita.

@dodgyc: I'm just a random guy on the internet, but, yeah, that does sound very likely I think.

Hmm, yeah, read a lot about this on GAF earlier this week. Certainly sounds like a big hit for Nintendo in the early goings. I couldn't buy one in the end due to budget, though I did get BOTW for the Wii U. That game, no doubt, is going to sell like no tomorrow. As for the Switch over the long run, we'll see I guess. But, tough to imagine there isn't another, potentially mammoth, spike when Mario hits.

This was great for anyone trying to make an argument for launching software / hardware in the off season. This has been happening slowly, but 2017 more than most years feels like it really cemented the fact that ALL YEAR is a good time to release shit, rather than just Q3.

It's Nintendo, so, I truly hope it's a success.

I'm skeptical about sales numbers. It was pretty easy to walk in and pick one up. It was impossible to do so with a PS4 and a Wii.

I dont think you'll ever see PS4 / Wii numbers ever again. I dont think that's a fair comparison. From what I've seen its selling pretty healthily, we're a moderate store in large market and we sold out quickly.

I don't think you can read to much into opening week sales beyond the fact it hasn't bombed. Which is good, but sales two to three months from now will be better indicators. I'm skeptical how well it will move at it's current price point, especially outside the US.

If they can get all those games out this year that would give the system a lot of momentum for sure.

I think there was a very small window over the weekend before Zelda review hype had reached the masses when some stores actually had stock, but as of now it's completely sold out in my area.

If Nintendo is smart and puts the next pokemon game on this thing (perhaps a sequel/update to sun/moon perhaps not) the Switch will sell like hotcakes. Especially with Pokemon Go revitalizing interest in pokemon.

Nintendo has a history of artificial scarcity or at the very least launching with very limited numbers both the Wii / Wii U were supply constrained, but its a good sign nonetheless. It'll be interesting seeing how much momentum the Switch will have Zelda has always been a core title and not a giant seller the likes of which Mario Kart are, but next months Mario Kart is only a port and then the summer will be a true test to see how much of a franchise Splatoon 2 really is. Ultimately I think its not games stopping Nintendo but its hardware and price which the latter for the moment is far too high.

The Wii would have easily sold more at launch if the supply met the demand so I don't see that comparison staying true once the next waves of Switches role in. I'm still not convinced Nintendo will put the effort behind the Switch it needs to truly become the console everyone is hoping it will be.

So far all the talk of it replacing the 3ds as the lead handheld has come from people outside of Nintendo speculating. I can see financially conservative Nintendo keep the huge 3ds install base for a sure fire revenue stream over the risk of forcing them to switch over to the Switch. You can just never guess with Nintendo; I want the Switch to be amazing and have the combined effort of mobile and home in it's library, but I'm skeptical.