Nintendo Switch 2 becomes second fastest selling US console

The Nintendo Switch 2 has concluded a record-breaking first year in the United States, selling 5.9 million units to become the second fastest-selling video game hardware in U.S. tracked history. The milestone, covering the 12 months following its U.S. launch on June 5, 2025, places the hybrid console behind only Nintendo's own Game Boy Advance, which sold 6.5 million units in its debut year in 2001.

The sales data, reported by market research firm Circana, shows the Switch 2 was the top-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars for May 2026 and for the year-to-date period. The console's performance drove a significant 38 percent year-over-year increase in overall U.S. hardware spending for May, reaching $249 million. Nintendo's own financial data indicates the console has sold just shy of 20 million units globally as of its one-year mark.

The Switch 2's strong start contrasts sharply with the performance of its main competitors. According to the same Circana report, PlayStation 5 unit sales fell 58 percent year-over-year in May, dropping to their lowest May total since 2000. Xbox Series X|S unit sales declined 12 percent, marking the lowest May sales ever recorded for...