Lagging sales of the original Switch may also be contributing to the Switch 2's relatively weak holiday numbers. In the UK at least, the older console is still selling well enough to support Nintendo's sales. general National holiday equipment sales are 7 percent higher than what the company achieved in 2017.
Nintendo might need another one Super Mario OdysseyA big hit to support Switch 2 sales momentum.
Credit: Nintendo
However, the move from record launch sales to relatively disappointing holiday sales is a worrying sign for the Switch 2's market dynamics. Such a move could explain the lack of system sales of Switch 2 exclusive games. In 2017, the October launch Super Mario Odyssey created a holiday buzz for Switch based on earlier hits such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild And Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. For Switch 2, holiday releases such as Pokemon Legends (ZA) And Metroid Prime 4 didn't seem to have as much of an impact as early system sellers would have liked. World of Mario Kart And Donkey Kong Bananza.
At this point, Nintendo's planned 2026 schedule doesn't appear to offer many big-name exclusives that could make a difference. Lineup for the first party of the year currently based on standard sequels to second-tier franchises such as Yoshi, Mario Tennis and Fire Emblem, as well as slightly modernized “Switch 2 Edition” re-releases of popular Switch games. In addition to Nintendo's own games, FromSoft's slated release for 2026 Bloody-esque Twilight Blood The Switch 2 exclusive may make some fans of the company's Souls-like games take a second look at the hardware.
Of course, Nintendo will likely announce more Switch 2 exclusives and ports in the coming months. Having several system-selling blockbusters on this list could be critical to supporting Switch 2 sales now that pent-up launch demand appears to have been largely met.
