![Nintendo Switch has already surpassed Wii U's lifetime sales. [image source: Nintendo/YouTube screengrab]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/1/23/660x290/b_502x220x82/nintendo-switch-has-already-surpassed-wii-us-lifetime-sales-image-source-nintendoyoutube-screengrab_1806681.jpg "Nintendo Switch has already surpassed Wii U's lifetime sales. [image source: Nintendo/YouTube screengrab]")
The Nintendo Switch was released last March and was very well received by both gamers and critics alike. The impressive hybrid system allows you to play both on your TV and on the go. As impressive as a new console might be, it won't last long if it doesn't have great games to support it, but this wasn't an issue for Nintendo. The Switch launched with the critically acclaimed game "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" along with the promise of several other big games that would be released in the following months. The Switch enjoyed very strong sales upon its release and it has now been announced that it has managed to outsell the Wii U in less than a year.
The Wii U's legacy
The Wii U was launched by Nintendo in 2012 and, while being a solid console, was poorly marketed and failed to attract a large audience. The console also suffered from a lack of support from third-party game developers and thus the only major games released for the system were from Nintendo. The Wii U failed to sell well and, in the years to come, could not compete with the far more powerful Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
The numbers
It has been revealed that 14.87 million Switches have been sold since the end of 2017. The Wii U, as of October 2017, has reportedly sold over 13.56 million units since its release in 2012. This means that, despite being on shelves for less than a year, the Switch has already managed to surpass sales figures for its predecessor.
No doubt Nintendo will be very pleased that its new console is not being hampered by the issues that plagued the Wii U.
Great support
I imagine that the critically acclaimed games, released exclusively on the Switch, have made it more attractive to consumers. "Super Mario Odyssey" was released, to critical acclaim, in October and "Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle" was released, earlier in the year, in August to equally strong reviews.
The Switch also enjoys a greater deal of third-party support and several big titles such as "Doom," "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," and "L.A. Noire" have all been released on the console.
Top game sales
Along with the figures for Switch sales, Nintendo also revealed which games have been the top sellers for the console. "Super Mario Odyssey" came in first with over 9 million sales worldwide.
In second came "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" with 7.3 million sales. "The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" came in third with 6.7 million units sold, and "Splatoon 2" is in fourth with over 4.9 million in sales. It was also confirmed that both "Arms" and "Xenoblade Chronicles 2" have surpassed the 1 million mark.
Plenty to look forward to
The Switch's success seems likely to continue through 2018 as there are still plenty of great games to look forward which will no doubt entice gamers. The popular "Bayonetta" games are set to be released on the Switch later this year and a third installment has also been announced exclusively for the console. "Dark Souls Remastered" will see the popular series make its debut on a Nintendo console in May, and the acclaimed Wii U game "Hyrule Warriors" is coming to the Switch this Spring in the form of a definitive edition. It certainly looks like the flow of great games isn't about to dry up anytime soon.
