Switch 2 sells less but Nintendo earns more: 5 key results explained

Nintendo has sold fewer consoles, but makes more money. In its first fiscal semester (April-September 2026), published on November 5, the company sold 6.49 million Switch 2 consoles, 37.4% fewer than in the same period of the previous year. Nevertheless, its operating profit rose 49.1%, to 216.5 billion yen.

Semester figures

Key 1: the comparison is misleading

The previous semester included the launch of Switch 2 (June 2025), with its initial sales surge. Comparing with that peak makes the decline seem greater than it is.

Key 2: games have higher margins than consoles

Consoles are sold with low margins; games, much higher. With 18.8% more software sold, Nintendo makes more money even though it sells less hardware.

Key 3: tariffs

Nintendo also cited tariff refunds in the United States as one of the factors that have improved its accounts.

Key 4: it maintains its forecasts

For the full fiscal year (until March 2027), Nintendo maintains:

• 16.5 million Switch 2 consoles sold.
• 60 million Switch 2 games.
• 2.05 trillion yen in sales and 370 billion yen in operating profit.

Key 5: Christmas is decisive

With the remake of Zelda: Ocarina of Time selling 5.2 million copies in four days, the Christmas campaign will be crucial to meeting forecasts. The next results will be published on February 2, 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Is Switch 2 selling poorly? No. It sells fewer than at its launch, which is normal, and remains on track to sell 16.5 million this fiscal year.

Will the price increase? Nintendo has not announced any price changes in these results.

Sources: Nintendo's results report (November 5, 2026), gaming.net, and Nintendo World Report.