Switch becomes third best-selling console of all time

The Nintendo Switch has now surpassed the Game Boy and Game Boy Color and the PlayStation 4, making it the third-best-selling video console in history.

The details:

• Less than six years after its release, Nintendo has revealed that its Switch line of consoles has officially sold 122.55 million units, now placing it between the company’s 90s handheld, the Game Boy, and the Game Boy’s successor, the DS, at 2nd. In comparison, the Wii U sold only 13.56 million units, and its 103.54 million software sales were also surpassed by the Switch's hardware figures.
• The Switch was announced in 2016 with a March release date as a hybrid between a portable and home console, a concept that had not been executed well at the time. Its distinct functionality, the lower price point in comparison to competitors, and a library of games featuring iconic franchises such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Pokemon all contributed to the console's massive success.
• Despite generating less total revenue than Sony's PS5, the Switch topped the charts for unit sales in the United States in 2022. Notably, the Switch's base console cost $299.99, the portable-only Lite cost $199.99, and the newer OLED model cost $349.99, making the system far more accessible in the face of global shortages and the current economic climate.

In other notable Nintendo news:

• On February 8 at 2 p.m. PST, Nintendo will hold a Nintendo Direct. The show will contain "roughly 40 minutes of information mostly focused on Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2023," according to Nintendo via Twitter.
• The release date of Pikmin 4 could have been leaked through a retail listing. A release date of May 23 was recently listed on the website of Greek retailer Game Explorers. The game is currently available for pre-order via the website, but it is still being determined whether this was done in error or if the upcoming Direct will confirm the date as correct.
• Nintendo has increased Switch console production in anticipation of a sales spike due to the upcoming release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The title was recently spotted on Nintendo's eShop for pre-order with a price tag of $70 USD before being quickly removed, implying that the company may be following in the footsteps of PlayStation and Xbox by increasing the pricing of its titles.