The Switch is certainly the hot system we all expected it to be; reports are that the console has sold better for its launch than any other system in Nintendo history, and some say that it is going to outsell the Wii, the top selling console in history, as time passes.
Let’s take this in 2 parts – First, the sales records for launch.
Of course! Nintendo produced a good number of the consoles, got them to stores, and launched at a good time – Tax time here in the United States. Everyone who wanted one (until stores ran out), could get one. Great, right? That means the Switch is the best game system ever, right? Uh, no.
Don’t take that wrong – I like what I see in the Switch and it is selling because it’s awesome, but also because it was marketed properly (unlike the WiiU) and because of the quantity produced compared to population. Hell, population is key here: The population of the United States is constantly increasing. As time passes, more and more people are gaming, and there are more people who may become gamers – that means more people in the end to buy the game console.
Combined with the higher production numbers of this console, well, what do you expect? Of course it would sell more than the Wii – More people are out there wanting the console, and there were more produced this time than a decade ago.
It’s just one of those things that makes sense when you think about it is all I’m saying. I’m not attacking the Switch, simply stating it’s an inevitable side effect of progress, much like films grossing more now than they used to – more people are around to go and see them!
Part 2, the Switch outselling the Wii, well, I’d say it’s too early to predict that – the console might lose momentum as time passes – I know I already have people at my day job not understanding the console, not wanting to get it for their kids, and some even demanding a WiiU even though it’s a dead console. Granted the WiiU isn’t bad, to me, still, it’s just odd people would want an old console that still cost the same as the new one.
Anyway, as for the Wii being outsold by the Switch, it may happen, it may not. It doesn’t matter though as the above reasons of population growth dictate that the console has an easier time getting sales due to the higher number of people around. Have I said that enough yet?
Basically, my point is that we don’t even focus on these numbers as they aren’t in proper scale – Instead, let’s just be happy the console is selling and people like it!
I hope to get one eventually, but not before the Xbox Scorpio is released. 😉