The Nintendo Switch’s success is expanding the console market

The incredible success Nintendo has seen with the Switch is expanding the overall console market, mirroring a level of success not seen since the Wii.

This comes from a report from consumer insights agency Interpret. According to Interpret’s quarterly survey of 9,000 US consumers, there was a huge jump in 2020 of consumers who owned a Switch and no other games console.

In 2019, just 12 per cent of respondents said that they owned a Nintendo Switch and no other consoles. Last year, however, this figure more than doubled to 25 per cent. The Switch’s appeal as a secondary console also grew – in 2019, 25 per cent reported owning a Switch and one other console, a figure that rose to 35 per cent in 2020.

As Interpret points out, despite the high levels of interest in the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, many believe that the Switch will remain the best-selling console. Analysts have already predicted that the Switch will outsell both next-gen consoles in 2021, with many pointing to the potential release of a new 4K-capable “Switch Pro” model this year. The Switch has already out-sold the new consoles in their own launch month.

Interpret points to the Switch’s lower price point, particularly the lower-priced Switch Lite model. Additionally, the appeal of titles such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and