The Nintendo Switch Is Now 5 Years Old

On this day 5 years ago, the Nintendo Switch console officially made its debut in Japan and across the videogaming landscape!

Launching alongside the award-winning Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild on 3 March 2017, the Switch would go on to sell millions of units in no time and redeem the company from its massive failures with the faltering Wii U console. At the time of writing, the Switch has already sold over 103 million units so far – even surpassing the lifetime sales of the popular Wii.

Since its release, the Switch system has become home to some of the most popular titles in Nintendo’s history. Animal Crossing: New Horizons would become a popular refuge for families and individuals forced to stay at home during the global COVID-19 pandemic – and is currently Nintendo’s 2nd bestselling Switch title at 37.6 millions sold. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would go on to become Nintendo’s hype machine for several years, with fans hanging on anxiously to rumors and new DLC fighter reveals for months at a time.

Even 2021 has seen some real blockbusters and surprises land on Nintendo Switch. Monster Hunter Rise launched to widespread acclaim, with many fans praising the game’s new and fluid movement system. Metroid fans would also finally get to enjoy the next chapter of the franchise with Metroid Dread – the first new 2D Metroid game in nearly two decades. Mario Party Superstars would also revive much fanfare for the Mario Party series by bringing back many classic game boards and minigames in beautiful HD.

2021 would also play host to the release of Nintendo’s new Switch OLED model – which boasted an enhanced screen, better battery life, and several other refreshed features over the original Nintendo Switch console.

The future of the Switch is looking pretty bright too, with some even coining 2022 as the “second-coming” of Nintendo’s robust 2017 line-up. Currently, the sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is slated for 2022, along with the highly-anticipated Bayonetta 3 also planned to launch this year. March 2022 will see the release of Kirby and the Forgotten Land which will mark the series’ first foray into 3D platforming, and Splatoon 3 is set to make its debut in Summer 2022.

Nintendo also recently sent JRPG fans into a frenzy with the announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 which launches in September 2022. Additionally, the Pokemon Company will be releasing Pokemon Scarlet/Violet for Switch in Late 2022 – with both games touted as big open-world adventures set in a new Pokemon region.

Here’s to another year of great Nintendo Switch gaming ahead! Happy 5th birthday, Nintendo Switch!