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Despite the November 2020 launch of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and the prospect of further stock later this year, the Nintendo Switch is still expected to be the best-selling console of 2021.
That’s according to multiple industry analysts, who when speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, revealed that they expect Nintendo’s hugely successful console to maintain its momentum in 2021.
“Despite the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, it will be the Nintendo Switch that ends up selling the most units of console hardware in 2021,” said the NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella.
The Switch, already popular following its launch in 2017, had an enormously successful 2020, with sales boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The now almost 4 year-old console outsold both the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series consoles in their launch month, and has exceeded 68.3m lifetime sales.
There has been some speculation that Nintendo may release a “Switch Pro” model, with higher specs and 4K capability. This would certainly further boost the console’s sales this year, and the analysts seem open to its existence.
“I predict a beefed-up 4K device is coming during Nintendo’s next financial year,” said Kantan Games’ Dr. Serkan Toto. “Everybody expecting the Switch to run out of steam in 2021 is in for a bitter disappointment. The Switch will be the best-selling console this year as well, driven by more first-party games, a hardware refresh, and the device having developed into a lifestyle product for the mass market over the course of 2020.”
Ampere Analysis’ Piers Harding-Rolls also expects Nintendo to release an updated version of the Switch, having dismissed rumours of its release in 2020.
“I expect Nintendo’s Switch family of devices to be the best-selling consoles again in 2021 following a very strong 2020,” said Harding-Rolls. “Last year I was unconvinced there would be a new flagship model Switch in 2020, but it makes more commercial sense to release an updated version in 2021. I currently have an updated version of the Switch in my forecasts for 2021.”
