The Nintendo Switch is a huge success for the company, becoming the fast-selling video game console in American history. It's news that won't come to a surprise as anyone who tried to purchase the console during the holidays, though it does serve as good news for Nintendo (and fans of the company). Recent years haven't exactly been kind to the House of Mario, but their luck is changing.

While Nintendo's Wii was a runaway success as well, the follow-up, the Wii U, was a bit of a flop. The Wii U has its fans among the hardcore Nintendo faithful, but they're relatively few in number. The console had terrible sales numbers and was quickly abandoned by the company. The failure of the Wii U made Nintendo's future seem in doubt - so much so that when it was announced, the Switch seemed like a huge a gamble. Fortunately, any chance Nintendo took with the Switch is paying off in spades now. The Nintendo Switch might not be the most powerful video game console on the market, but it's crushing its competition when it comes to sales.

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According to Business Wire, since its launch in March 2017 the Nintendo Switch has sold 4.8 million units. As mentioned, this makes it the most aggressive selling console in U.S. history. The only console that comes close to is is, interestingly, the Nintendo Wii. The Wii sold 4 million units in the same time period. This sales figure means that America is responsible for almost half of the Nintendo Switch's success, what with the console having sold nearly 10 million units worldwide to date.

Whereas the Nintendo Wii U lacked a strong library of games, the Switch has been performing well thanks in no small part to a pair of critical darlings and fan-favorites. Of the large sample of Nintendo Switch owners, 60 percent of them also own Super Mario Odyssey. Another 55 percent own the Switch's other big title, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These numbers are probably explained by the fact that the pair are among two of the most highest rated games, critically, to ever be made.

With that in mind, it should be noted that most Nintendo Switches units have been bundled with both games, particularly Super Mario Odyssey. Still, those are some impressive figures for the company. This is especially true given that the first year of the console's release isn't even over yet.

Nintendo has been a staple of the video game community for decades. The company is, after all, responsible for bringing the industry back from collapse with the Nintendo Entertainment System. The company was in some rough financial waters following the flop of the Wii U. Thankfully, for everyone, the Nintendo Switch has put them back in control. With Nintendo dominating, there are other console gaming options out there than those in the Xbox and PlayStation camps.

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Source: Business Wire