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Nintendo Switch UK sales surpass 80,000

Sales better than Wii U launch weekend

Nintendo Switch UK sales surpass 80,000

Sales of the Nintendo Switch have surpassed 80,000 in the UK, according to retailers.

The console has had a strong start to life in the country and most stores have sold out of week one stock.

Various retailers are still taking orders, but some are advising consumers they may not get their hands on a system until next week or even as late as the end of April in some cases.

Wii U memories banished

GamesIndustry.biz reports that the number of Nintendo Switch consoles sold in its opening weekend is double that of the Wii U, which sold 40,000 units during the same period in 2013.

It falls well behind other console launches though. The PS4 and Xbox One sold 250,000 and 150,000 at launch, while the 3DS shifted 113,000 units.

The fact that most stores have sold out though suggests supply is not keeping up with demand, rather than the other way round.

Critical acclaim

Nintendo shares rose 4.1% on the day of the console’s launch and continued to rise on Monday, March 6th as investors were buoyed by the system’s sales and positive reception.

Launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has also received critical acclaim, touted by some outlets as one of the best games of all time.

Nintendo has a relatively sparse line-up announced for the rest of the year, but it does have a steady stream of potential hits to come in the form of Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey.


Head of Content

Craig Chapple is a freelance analyst, consultant and writer with specialist knowledge of the games industry. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo and Develop.