Nintendo Switch is officially the third-best-selling console of all time

Nintendo’s latest financial results have confirmed a milestone for Nintendo Switch sales that we knew was coming, but that is still a major achievement. The hybrid handheld has racked up over 122 million sales in its lifetime, placing it ahead of PlayStation 4 (117 million) and Nintendo’s own venerable Game Boy (118 million) as the third-best-selling game console of all time.

There have only been two games that sold more: the PlayStation 2 (155M) and Nintendo DS 154M. With Nintendo projecting around 18 million sales for its current fiscal year — a number the company says has been constrained by semiconductor shortages — and at least one or two more years before Nintendo introduces a successor, the all-time crown is not yet out of Switch’s grasp. It’s an incredible turnaround from Nintendo’s previous hardware generation, when Wii U flopped to a meager 13 million units sold (versus Wii’s 101 million), and 3DS, while performing respectably, only managed half the sales of its predecessor.

Nevertheless, there’s no doubt that Switch hardware sales are slowing, and there’s a question mark over how many more major first-party games remain to propel them. Following Tears of the Kingdom: The Legend of Zelda in May, Nintendo’s slate has Pikmin 4. Due later in the year: An undated Metroid Prime 4, and that’s about it. Nintendo will likely be evaluating whether to announce unannounced project, or even a new one. Prime 4For its next console, he should not be released.

Switch sales are more than just healthy for the moment. Pokémon ScarletAnd Violet They sold 20 million copies within six weeks. the fourth-best-selling generation of Pokémon games ever. Splatoon 3, another recent release, has cruised to 10 million sales, while the Switch’s top seller Mario Kart 8 Deluxe With 52 million copies of its books sold, it has broken the 50-million mark. Tetris, Wii Sports, MinecraftAnd Grand Theft Auto 5.

Here’s what the Switch’s all-time top 10 looks like now:

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (52 million)
2. Animal Crossing New Horizons (41.59 million)
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (30.44 million)
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (29 million)
5. Pokémon SwordAnd Shield (25.68 million)
6. Super Mario Odyssey (25.12 million)
7. Pokémon SwordAnd Shield (20.61 million)
8. Super Mario Party (18.79 million)
9. Ring Fit Adventure (15.22 million)
10. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!And Eevee! (15.07 million)

Switch sold 994 million games in total, surpassing any other Nintendo console. This is presumably due to the thriving digital market.

When Switch launched six years ago, few predicted the platform — based on hardware that was then already quite dated — could attain this level of success. But the simplicity of Nintendo’s pitch, combining home and handheld gaming in a single device, plus the traditional strength of its in-house software saw it through. Nintendo is now faced with the dilemma of whether or not to upgrade Switch’s hardware, or try something else. The former seems like a no-brainer, but Nintendo is a restless innovator, and many of its biggest successes — including the Game Boy, the Wii, and the Switch itself — came out of left field. We will be surprised again.