Nintendo Switch 2 Finishes First 12 Months on Sale as Second Fastest-Selling Hardware in U.S. History, PS5 Sales Collapse Following Price Rise

The Nintendo Switch 2 has ended its first 12 months on sale as the second fastest-selling hardware in U.S. history.

New data from Circana reveals the Switch 2 has a 5.9 million U.S. install base after a year. Only the Game Boy Advance’s 6.5 million units over its first year in the market exceeds it, Mat Piscatella, Senior Director, Video Games at Circana said.

Nintendo has said Switch 2 is its fastest-selling hardware ever globally, despite some sales struggles at the back end of 2025 in western markets. In May, Nintendo said it expected to sell fewer Switch 2 consoles over the console’s second year , because Switch 2 sales "were more concentrated in the launch year in comparison to previous hardware systems." And let’s remember that Nintendo will increase the Switch 2's price by $50, raising the console to $499.99 on September 1.

Perhaps in part due to that price rise announcement, Switch 2 sales were boosted in May. According to Piscatella, May 2026 hardware spending increased by 38% when compared to a year ago, to $249 million, with the Nintendo Switch 2 offsetting a 43% year-on-year drop in PS5 spending (and a 58% dip in unit sales) driven by recent price increases.

Xbox Series hardware spending actually grew 7% versus a year ago, while unit sales fell by 12%. Nintendo Switch 2 was again the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars for May and 2026 year-to-date, with PS5 second across both measures and time periods.