The Switch 2 is on track to outsell every PC gaming handheld ever made

Summary

The Nintendo Switch 2 is projected to outsell every PC gaming handheld ever made by the end of the year.
This includes PC gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally X.
The Switch 2 has the potential to become many people’s main gaming console, thanks to its upgraded hardware and support for more AAA games, like Cyberpunk 2077.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launch is officially upon us. It’s already June 5 in some countries around the world, and many Nintendo fans are eagerly awaiting for their pre-orders to arrive. The Switch 2 is expected to become one of the largest console launches of all time, so much so that it might outpace PC gaming handheld sales almost instantaneously.

According to analysts at Ampere Analysis, Nintendo is projected to sell over 13 million units of the Switch 2 by the end of 2025, with that number expected to exceed 100 million by the end of the decade. What’s even more interesting is that Ampere believes the Switch 2 will eclipse the sales of every PC gaming handheld ever made by the end of the year (via The Game Business).

This includes handhelds like the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally X, and the Lenovo Legion GO. Considering the Steam Deck was released in 2022, this implies that in less than six months, Nintendo could sell more handhelds than Valve has in three years.

4K Capability: Yes
Brand: Nintendo
Screen: 7.9-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution LCD, HDR, 120Hz refresh rate (4K/60fps 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution when docked)
Game support: Switch 2, Switch 2 Edition, Switch
Storage: 256GB (microSD Express cards)
CPU: custom NVIDIA processor

Getting a Switch 2 on launch day can be easy if you know where to go

Missed out on the opportunity to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2? Here’s how to secure a unit on launch day at GameStop, Best Buy, Walmart, and more.

The Switch 2 could become a lot of people’s main gaming device

The power of the Nintendo name brand is hard to beat

In its report, Ampere reveals that 56 percent of Steam Deck owners also use a Nintendo Switch, while only 1.3 percent of Switch owners consider a Steam Deck to be their “primary console.” One of the Switch 2’s greatest potentials is to become many people’s main gaming device.

Given the excitement surrounding the Switch 2, it’s no surprise that it could easily surpass the sales of every PC gaming handheld ever made by the end of the year.

Many Nintendo Switch owners currently do not view the console as their primary gaming device. Instead, they depend on other platforms, such as Xbox, PlayStation, or PC, to play the latest AAA games. However, with the Switch 2’s improved hardware capabilities and support for more AAA games, it could soon become many people’s primary console of choice.

While first-party games have always been a hallmark of Nintendo consoles and will continue to be, the ability to play a broader selection of AAA games will encourage even more people to choose the Switch 2 for gaming instead of turning to their PS5 or getting a PC gaming handheld. Cyberpunk 2077 , Split Fiction and Yakuza 9 Director’s Cut are some of the first major third-party AAA games coming to the Switch 2, with even more titles to follow in the future, such as Borderlands 4 and Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition.

…when Switch 2 pre-orders became available, I immediately grabbed one because I wanted to play first-party Nintendo games. I believe many others feel the same way…

Given the excitement surrounding the Switch 2, it’s no surprise that it could easily surpass the sales of every PC gaming handheld ever made by the end of the year. As a primarily PC gamer, I have considered getting a Steam Deck before, but I never followed through because I couldn’t justify it. However, when Switch 2 pre-orders became available, I immediately grabbed one because I wanted to play first-party Nintendo games. I believe many others feel the same way, which is a testament to the strength of Nintendo’s brand.

The Switch 2 definitely has the spotlight right now, but in a couple of years, as the console begins to show its age and new, more powerful PC gaming handhelds appear (the Steam Deck 2?), the tides could start to turn.