Switch 2 vs Switch 1 Sales Comparison in Japan - March 2026 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 18 April 2026 / 6,521 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 2 and Nintendo Switch 1.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 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 2 Vs. Switch 1 Japan:
Gap change in latest month: 475,114 - Switch 1
Total Lead: 1,825,613 - Switch 2
Switch 2 Total Sales: 5,150,270
Switch 1 Total Sales: 3,324,657
March 2026 is the 10th month that the Nintendo Switch 2 has been available for in Japan. During the latest month, the Switch 1 has outsold the Switch 2 by 0.48 million units when you align the launches. The Switch 2 is ahead of the Switch 1 by 1.83 million units.
The 10th month for the Switch 2 is March 2026, while for the Switch 1 it is December 2017. The Switch 2 has sold 5.15 million units, while the Switch 1 sold 3.32 million units during the same timeframe.
The Nintendo Switch 1 has sold 36.76 million units to date. The Switch 2 is currently 31.61 million units behind the lifetime sales of the Switch 1.
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 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
More Articles
The switch 2 should stay ahead until OG switch hits early 2020. After that it's too early to say how things will go.
Considering the NS2 has a cheaper version in Japan since day one... I assume it will stay ahead throughout the lifetime of the comparison
Unless the PS6 Portable ends up being a massive disruption to the market
That probably won't happen until a long time and will most definitely be expensive as hell. And would take several years for PS to take back some ground in japan since they have been in a downward trend for like a decade now
I think Japan will just be Switch country. They aren't interested in anything else.
