Nintendo Switch overtakes the DS to become Japan's best-selling console ever

Nintendo Switch is still flying off store shelves in Japan, so much so that it's just become the best-selling gaming system of all time in the region.

As spotted by VGC, Nintendo's latest financial report has revealed that as of December 31, 2023, total sales of Nintendo's hybrid console - including the original Switch system, the OLED model, and Switch Lite - have reached a whopping 33,340,000 in Japan. This puts it ahead of the company's handheld offering, the Nintendo DS and its numerous versions, which previously held the top spot with 32,990,000 units sold.

The Switch is also closing in on the handheld in terms of global sales. Currently, worldwide sales of the system are 139.36 million, while the DS has managed to shift 154.02 million, meaning the Switch has around 15 million more units to sell before it overtakes its handheld cousin on the world stage.

Sure, it still has a ways to go, but the Switch is likely to continue selling well for the foreseeable thanks to a strong line-up of games in 2024 and beyond, from exclusives like Mario vs. Donkey Kong and Luigi's Mansion 2 HD to highly anticipated third-party titles such as Hollow Knight: Silksong. Also, with the hardware getting on in years, Nintendo could potentially offer some tantalizing deals on its current console to drive higher sales numbers.

Nintendo hasn't as of yet announced or even hinted that it's working on any new hardware, though there have been plenty of rumors surrounding the subject, the latest being that in a survey asking over 3,000 developers what platform they're currently developing for, 8% said they're working on projects for a Nintendo Switch successor.

For more titles making their way to Switch in the near future, check out our guide to upcoming Nintendo Switch games.