While there are questions (and some worries) of when the Nintendo Switch cycle will ever end, if they were close today, there is a new champion in terms of Nintendo Switch launch sales and it is Splatoon 3.

While it is not my costume going specifically on financial areas, I prefer the more macroeconomics side of things. I cannot go without saying that the next earnings reports of Nintendo should be interesting.

All this preliminary data from Nintendo as of this weekend's launch is a whole new record for Nintendo Switch and probably Nintendo in general, as Splatoon 3 recorded 3.45 million copies sold.

Splatoon 3 dethroned another Nintendo Switch champion, which was Animal Crossing: New Horizons that amazed 2.68 million copies sold in its weekend launch and that record was held for 10 years when Pokémon Black & White became the “title holder” back in 2010.

The fact that these numbers ARE FROM JAPAN is just incredible and added to the mix that tops the combined launch sales of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, so when Nintendo adds USA and International sales, the numbers probably are bound to be for the record book.

According to Famitsu, this leave the top three Nintendo Switch launches so far as:

  1. Splatoon 3: 3.45 million units (September 9, 2022)
  2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 1.888 million units (March 20, 2020)
  3. Pokémon Legends: Arceus: 1.425 million units (January 28, 2022)

Via Famitsu