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According to new data from Japanese publication Famitsu, the Nintendo Switch reached a new milestone of 19,410,000 units sold in Japan, which at present firmly puts it every bit the sixth best-selling panel in Nihon of all time. It overtook the original Famicom, which previously held the tape with 19,350,000 units sold, to reach that milestone.

Information technology's expected to surpass the PSP for the fifth spot sometime in May, to have the quaternary spot from the PlayStation 2 in November due to the Switch's Pokémon titles, and it will near probable surpass the Nintendo 3DS in 2022.

However, the most hard milestones to achieve would be the Game Boy in second identify and the Nintendo DS in first place, with sales in Japan at 32,470,000 and 32,990,000 units respectively. In order for the Switch to hit those ranks, information technology would accept to perform nearly equally well in 2022 and 2023 as it did in 2022 and 2022. Information technology'due south possible, of class, only it'southward still an incredibly lofty goal.

Another cistron that might affect long-term sales is the semiconductor shortages that have injure global tech production this year. Co-ordinate to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, the company was "able to secure the necessary materials for the firsthand product of semiconductors for Switches." Even so, thanks to strong need in Japan and other countries, "there is a possibility of shortages at some retailers in the time to come." This is on acme of Nintendo already having issues keeping upwards with increased demand for the system due to the pandemic.