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Switch Outsells Combined 3DS and Wii U Sales

Switch Outsells Combined 3DS and Wii U Sales - Sales

by William D'Angelo , posted on 27 September 2021 / 2,602 Views

The VGChartz sales comparison series of articles are updated monthly and each one focuses on a different sales comparison using our estimated video game hardware figures. The charts include comparisons between the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, as well as with older platforms. There are articles based on our worldwide estimates, as well as the US, Europe, and Japan.

This monthly series compares the aligned worldwide Nintendo Switch sales with the combined Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U sales.

The 3DS launched in February 2011 (however, 3DS sales have been aligned to March 2011, since it only launched at the end of February in Japan), the Wii U launched in November 2012, and the Nintendo Switch launched worldwide in March 2017. The holiday periods between the Switch and 3DS lineup, however, the Wii U holiday is offset from the Switch.

Switch Outsells Combined 3DS and Wii U Sales

Switch Outsells Combined 3DS and Wii U Sales

Switch Outsells Combined 3DS and Wii U Sales

Switch Vs. 3DS and Wii U Global:

Gap change in latest month: 779,815 - Switch

Gap change over last 12 months: 17,322,482 - Switch

Total Lead: 24,327,716 - Switch

Switch Total Sales: 90,244,510

3DS and Wii U Total Sales: 65,916,794

August 2021 is the 54th month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for. During the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the Switch by 779,815 units when compared to the combined sales of the 3DS and Wii U during the same timeframe. In the last 12 months, the gap has grown in favor of the Switch by 17.32 million units. The Switch leads by 24.33 million units.

The 54th month for the Nintendo Switch is August 2021, for the Nintendo 3DS it is August 2015 and for the Wii U it is February 2017. The Switch has sold 90.24 million units, while the 3DS and Wii U have sold 65.92 million units during the same timeframe.

The 3DS and Wii U sold 89.50 million units lifetime. The Switch has now outsold the combined the sales of the 3DS and Wii U.


A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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20 Comments
Mnementh (on 28 September 2021)

PS4+Vita next? And after that PS3+PSP?

  • +7
The_Liquid_Laser Mnementh (on 28 September 2021)

I'd really like to see a Switch vs. PS4+Vita chart.

  • +1
Torpoleon Mnementh (on 28 September 2021)

PS4+Vita would be cool to see. Unfortunately, I don't see any of the current systems beating PS3+PSP, but that would be cool to see as well. Even the PS2 & DS couldn't beat PS3+PSP.

Hopefully these duos compared to Switch are the next comparisons.

  • 0
xMetroid Torpoleon (on 28 September 2021)

Who says the Switch won't beat DS/PS2 ? It has 50/50 chance imo

  • +1
Torpoleon xMetroid (on 28 September 2021)

I'm not saying that the Switch won't beat DS/PS2 (personally in the camp of people who hope it does and think it is pretty likely as long as Switch 2 doesn't launch until Holiday 2024 at the earliest).

What I was saying is that PS3+PSP are higher than the DS's lifetime sales and even the PS2's lifetime sales, so even if the Switch surpasses DS & PS2, PS3+PSP might be too much. PS3+PSP is roughly 10million more than the PS2.

  • +1
victor83fernandes Mnementh (on 28 September 2021)

That's going to be easy to accomplish. It will pass way beyond that.

  • +2
Chicho (on 27 September 2021)

Does this mean the Switch is actually successful?

  • +5
pikashoe Chicho (on 27 September 2021)

Nah it has to outsell the ds and wii combined to be successful

  • +4
NextGen_Gamer pikashoe (on 27 September 2021)

LOL

  • +5
SvenTheTurkey pikashoe (on 27 September 2021)

Right? Obviously Nintendo is dead. If they can't outsell the Wii and DS combined, they should get out of hardware. 90 million units in 4 and a half years? Just move on Nintendo. They clearly can't handle the hardware business...

  • +10
SanAndreasX pikashoe (on 28 September 2021)

“Nah, Nintendo will still be a failure until it outsells iOS + Android + Windows.”

  • +2
SvenTheTurkey SanAndreasX (on 28 September 2021)

Now I want to verify something. You mean every single device/license that has ever existed, right? Just the currently active ones aren't enough.

  • 0
SanAndreasX Chicho (on 28 September 2021)

It’s Nintendo. No matter what they do, they will never be a success in the eyes of people who literally want them to fail. And sadly, that’s more people than you would think.

  • +5
eddy7eddy (on 27 September 2021)

So Hasta la vista... Both, the comparison graph and Wii U+3DS.

  • +2
icykai (on 27 September 2021)

I'm pretty sure i saw this news before... Deja vu...

  • +2
Kakadu18 icykai (on 27 September 2021)

I mean, it happened in August.

  • 0
Eagle367 (on 27 September 2021)

Another one bites the dust

  • +1
AJNShelton Eagle367 (on 28 September 2021)

But I'm sorry I don't parade that way

  • 0
SanAndreasX Eagle367 (on 28 September 2021)

We are the champions.

  • +3
siebensus4 (on 27 September 2021)

Does this mean that this is the end of this comparison series?

  • 0