Nintendo Has Sold Half a Billion Handheld Consoles

One of the things that makes Nintendo consoles so attractive is the portability of some of its devices. Additionally, the fact that Nintendo's biggest titles are only available for Nintendo consoles has kept them as one of the top-selling console-makers in the industry. Nintendo has managed to stay relevant ever since the NES released back in 1983, and the ultimate proof of this is the fact that it just reached a major milestone. Nintendo just hit the half a billion mark on handheld consoles sold so far.

The release of Nintendo's latest console, the Switch, has definitely counted as a success for the Japanese tech giant. This console has become very popular these days because it allows users to play titles both through a TV or as a handheld console. Furthermore, the Nintendo Switch's design and Joy-Con controllers that can be separated from the rest of the console have proven to be better than those of previous consoles. The Lite version, which can only be used as a handheld console, does not have detachable Joy-Cons but has also become a popular option for those looking for a more affordable option to play Nintendo's titles.

Up to this date, Nintendo has sold a little over 500 million handheld consoles. The sales include all the portable consoles from Nintendo's iconic Game Boy to the Switch. The best-selling Nintendo console is the Nintendo DS, selling a little over 150 million consoles. Next comes the Game Boy Color with 118 million, while the Game Boy Advance takes third place with over 80 million consoles sold. Fourth place goes to the Nintendo Switch, which has amassed almost 80 million, including the Lite version. Finally, the Nintendo 3DS comes in fifth place with 75 million.

It is important to point out that the Nintendo Switch is a fairly new console that has been around for four years. Furthermore, the Lite version was released at the end of 2019, meaning it is about to reach its second anniversary. Considering how new the Switch consoles are, the fact that almost 80 million consoles have been sold so far is pretty impressive. Considering only the first year of sales, the Nintendo Switch has amassed more sales than the 3DS, the Wii U, and some of Nintendo's home consoles including the GameCube and the Nintendo 64.

Nintendo usually releases a new console every five or six years, and there are rumors of a Nintendo Switch Pro coming soon, but there is no formal confirmation of this. The Nintendo Switch Pro is supposed to have considerably better specs including 4K support, a bigger display, and better battery life. Rumors about the next Switch generation emerged after Nintendo supposedly bought seven-inch, 720p, OLED displays from Samsung.

The Nintendo Switch Pro’s existence has been rumored for a long time now. With more and more reports coming out, it’s looking extremely likely that the console truly does exist and is going to be shown off soon. When it will be shown and released is another matter, but fans are betting on an appearance at Nintendo’s allegedly big E3 conference this year. The release date itself is expected to come either holiday 2021 or early 2022, but due to the current times those are subject to change.