Nintendo Switch 2's Holiday Sales Were Weaker Than Original Switch

The Nintendo Switch 2 has shipped fewer units over its debut holiday season than the original Switch, likely due to a lack of major first-party releases.

The Nintendo Switch 2 had an explosive launch, ranking among the best console debuts in history. This is despite a weak lack of first-party titles in its first year, especially compared to the original Switch, which launched with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, received Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a few months later, and closed out the year with Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

2026 is here, which means the results for the first holiday season are filtering out. According to The Game Business, the Nintendo Switch 2's holiday sales were around 35% lower than the original Switch's during the same period, suggesting it had a much slower Christmas than its predecessor.

Nintendo Switch 2's Sales Lower Than Switch's Debut Holiday Period

According to The Game Business, results vary by region, with the Nintendo Switch 2 seeing 35% lower sales in the United States and more varied results across. Europe. The Nintendo Switch 2 wasn't alone in this regard; the 2025 holiday season was the worst since the days of the PS1, due to a multitude of factors, including the higher prices of systems.

So, why did the Nintendo Switch 2 have a slower debut than the original Switch? The lack of killer first-party titles likely didn't help. While diehard fans might adore Metroid, it's never been a huge seller, so Metroid Prime 4: Beyond wasn't going to bring in mainstream audiences. Pokemon Legends: Z-A was the closest thing to a big release, but that spin-off series hasn't sold as well compared to the mainline games, and it was a cross-gen title that people could play on the existing hardware.

Despite the slow start, the Nintendo Switch 2 is still flying high and will likely attract a much bigger audience once it starts receiving proper first-party support.