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Switch vs DS in Japan Sales Comparison - April 2022

Switch vs DS in Japan Sales Comparison - April 2022 - Sales

by William D'Angelo , posted on 16 May 2022 / 2,678 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 Japanese sales of the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo DS.

The DS launched in December 2004 in Japan and the Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017. Therefore, the normal holiday periods and the Japanese Golden Week holiday for the two consoles do not lineup.

Switch vs DS in Japan Sales Comparison - April 2022

Switch vs DS in Japan Sales Comparison - April 2022

Switch Vs. DS Japan:

Gap change in latest month: 71,842 - Switch

Gap change over last 12 months: 1,014,222 - Switch

Total Lead: 4,969,806 - DS

Switch Total Sales: 24,723,106

DS Total Sales: 29,692,912

April 2022 is the 62nd month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for in Japan. During the latest month, the Switch has outsold the DS by 71,842 units when you align the launches.

In the last 12 months, the Switch has outsold the DS by 1.01 million units. The DS is currently ahead of the Switch by 4.97 million units.

The 62nd month for the Switch is April 2022, while for the DS it is January 2010. The Switch has sold 24.72 million units, while the DS sold 29.69 million units during the same timeframe. The DS sold current Switch sales in month 50.

The DS has sold 32.98 million units lifetime in Japan. The Switch is currently 8.26 million units behind the lifetime sales of the DS.


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 on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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15 Comments
Doctor_MG (on 16 May 2022)

This is where the DS slows down considerably in Japan selling only three million more units between now and the end of its life. Meanwhile, Switch is looking like it will sell at least 4.5M units this year in Japan, potentially more depending on Splatoon 3 and Pokemon.

If Switch can have a 4.5M year then they will only need 6M lifetime to beat the DS. It's definitely possible.

  • +12
Alistair Doctor_MG (on 17 May 2022)

well we're already in the 6th year of the Switch, it is reasonable to assume that the 7th year will slow a lot just like the DS also (Switch will be strong until after Breath of the Wild 2 comes out, then decline quickly, I expect)

  • -2
Doctor_MG Alistair (on 17 May 2022)

It's reasonable to assume that the Switch will slow down, absolutely. However, this year sales aren't drastically lower like the DS's were. Shipment numbers for the DS from December 2008 to December 2009 (about it's fifth year in Japan) were about 4.3M. But from December 2009 until December 2010 it dropped to about 2.5M. These are also shipment numbers. Switch's sixth year on the market is looking to be better than the DS's fifth year. So Switch's sales trajectory is a bit different.

  • 0
Amnesia Alistair (on 17 May 2022)

They have not used their best and last booster yet: -50$ price cut.

  • 0
Mnementh (on 16 May 2022)

Ooh, after the 3DS is done now we see a graph against the mighty DS! Good luck Switch.

  • +9
UnderwaterFunktown (on 16 May 2022)

8.26 mil might be a long way to go but Switch seems on track to sell roughly another 3 mil by the end of the year, making a significant dent into that.

  • +5
Podings (on 17 May 2022)

Continuously impressed with the mislabled opening graphs! :v

There are always just two systems.
And they are mislabled way more than 50% of the time. ^^

  • 0
Kakadu18 Podings (on 17 May 2022)

It is a DS lead. That is completely correctly labeled. What exactly would you like it to say?

  • 0
Podings Kakadu18 (on 30 May 2022)

The opening graph (orange) shows the DS as having a negative lead. This graph should either be redrawn, or labeled correctly as "Switch Lead".

  • 0
dan_banan Podings (on 17 May 2022)

I've noticed this too, to the point where I really question my own knowledge lol. I'm by no means an expert on maths/graphs/statistics etc. I've always just sorta instinctively associated the label with the orange... line..thingy. So I'd usually read that first chart as the "DS lead" being in the negative, and the switch sales being the 0.
After quite a few of these graphs I've started to learn how to actually read them (although I agree that the labeling seems to be inconsistent sometimes?). I'm probably doing this the wrong way still. Feel free to correct/enlighten me!

  • 0
Podings dan_banan (on 30 May 2022)

The DS is indeed in the lead.
But the orange graph is labeled "DS Lead" and displaying negative 5 million, which is where the Switch was at. At the 61 week mark, the DS had a positive 5 million lead. What the graph tracks is the Switch lead, and it ought to be labeled so.

  • 0
dan_banan Podings (on 30 May 2022)

I completely agree ^^,

  • +1
Kakadu18 Podings (on 30 May 2022)

The label isn't what the graph tracks but simply states which console is in the lead. If the Switch was in the lead the label would state as much.
If it said Switch lead, then that would be confusing, because it is not in the lead.

  • 0
dan_banan Kakadu18 (on 31 May 2022)

Going by that logic, shouldn't the second chart also be called DS lead?
Though less confusing would be to add definitions to the first chart, similar to the bottom one, ie black for DS and orange for Switch. Whichever is in the lead can be read from the graphs themselves no?

  • 0
Podings Kakadu18 (on 31 May 2022)

I still think you shouldn't put "DS lead" as the title on a graph that tracks the Switch's lead (or lack thereof).

It would be a lot nicer if the opening graph displayed the DS's lead, if it's important to point out tha the DS is leading.

  • 0