The Xbox has been a dominant console in the United States due to Microsoft being a domestic company while Sony focuses most of its time marketing their console in Japan. An unlikely contender for rivaling the Xbox is another Japanese console and one that Microsoft has not set themselves up as rival competitors in the same way that they have with Sony and their PlayStation. That competition is coming from Nintendo’s Switch. The Switch has already outsold the Xbox last month by half million units and took the record for the fastest-selling console in the United States back in August. The Switch has been a drastic turn around for Nintendo after the underwhelming shelving cycle for their Wii U console has pushed them back into focusing on game development before reattempting the WiiU idea with the refined Switch platform.
The Switch and Nintendo have hit the ground running with a launch of Animal Crossing: Horizons and a new Pokemon game. The Switch started selling so rapidly, that Nintendo has run into issues multiple times with their parts manufacturers keeping pace with the unexpected demand. In just the first twelve months of Switch’s life, they have sold more than six million units, about half of the Xbox’s total sales, and is now outselling both of the other major systems on a per month basis.
The Switch is expected to eclipse Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation by the holiday season to the turning of the year. This is may come down to the eighth generation of consoles are closing, with Microsoft and Sony launching their ninth generation lineup this holiday season. Nintendo will keep pacing themselves separately from Microsoft and Sony and the Switch will still be their console that they shelve for several more years along with developing more games for the console.