Nintendo Switch 2 loses US speed record to Game Boy Advance after 12 months By Luís Henrique Costa
3 min read
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With 5.9 million units sold in its first 12 months in the United States, the Nintendo Switch 2 no longer holds the record for the fastest-selling console in the market research firm Circana’s history. The figure runs through June 2026, and Circana has tracked the American market since 1995. The total stands about 600,000 units below the 6.5 million sold by the Game Boy Advance, a handheld released in 2001 that remains in first place.
Strong start in May kept the console near the top
In Circana’s ranking of US hardware history, the Switch 2 now sits in second place. The console had a strong opening, and in May 2026 it was the best-selling hardware in the country in both units and dollars, also leading the year-to-date total. Worldwide, Nintendo reported 19.86 million units sold through March 31, 2026.
September revenue fell 12% against an unusual comparison base
Sales slowed in September. Revenue from the Switch 2 fell 12% compared with September 2025, according to Circana, and unit sales dropped 14% in the same comparison. Mat Piscatella, an analyst at Circana, said the base of comparison is atypical and that it is rare for such a successful device to get through its first year without stock shortages. He said he sees nothing worrying in the numbers.
Console price increase took effect on September 1
The price increase began on September 1, 2026, and the console’s list price rose in the United States and in the euro zone on the same day. The bundle with Mario Kart World, sold at launch, was discontinued, and the game is now bought separately for about $80.
See also: Nintendo overhauls Ocarina of Time Remake with voice acting on Switch 2
- United States: $449.99 until August 31, 2026; $499.99 from September 1, 2026
- Euro zone: €469.99 until August 31, 2026; €499.99 from September 1, 2026
Ocarina of Time remake launches exclusively on Switch 2
Nintendo announced the remake during the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, broadcast on September 8, 2026. The game is exclusive to the Switch 2 and reaches players on November 5, 2026. Mat Piscatella expects the launch to boost console sales and said players should buy the game in large numbers.
- Platform: Nintendo Switch 2, exclusive
- Release date: November 5, 2026
- Prices in the United States: $59.99 digital and $69.99 physical
- Expected early unlock: 9 p.m. Pacific time on November 4, 2026, a time Nintendo has not confirmed
- Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 edition: October 29, 2026, listed at $519.99
Analyst predicts resale of the anniversary edition for up to $4,000
Mat Piscatella also said the 40th anniversary edition of the console should sell out and reappear on eBay for as much as $4,000. The estimate is a forecast by the analyst, not a figure from a sales report.
British market reached 1 million units in 52 weeks
In the United Kingdom, the console reached 1 million units in 52 weeks, 30 weeks faster than the original Switch, according to Christopher Dring, who follows the British market. In the first half of 2026, sales there rose 16% compared with the same period of 2025.
Check out: Nintendo confirms 1998 Zelda Ocarina of Time remake on Switch 2
Worldwide shipments fell 34.4% in the April to June quarter
Between April and June 2026, Nintendo sold 3.82 million units of the Switch 2 worldwide, a drop of 34.4% from the same quarter of 2025.
