The Game Business Show Nintendo Switch 2 sales stumble over Christmas
Jan 8, 2026
Keza MacDonald, a video games editor at The Guardian and a renowned Nintendo journalist, joins the conversation to discuss the Switch 2's rocky Christmas sales. She shares insights on her upcoming book about Nintendo's cultural history and reflects on the demand and media coverage surrounding the Switch 2. The duo also explores Nintendo's history of surprising hits, upcoming titles, and the impact of TV adaptations like Fallout on gaming engagement. Plus, they touch on the new indie publishing venture by the Phasmaphobia team.
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Two Buyer Audiences For Switch 2
- Nintendo has two upgrade audiences: existing Switch owners who will naturally upgrade, and new buyers who need a clear killer reason to buy.
- Without a standout new-title incentive, many holiday buyers opted to wait.
Lineup Felt Niche Not Universal
- Donkey Kong Bonanza received strong praise but wasn't positioned as a universal Christmas seller.
- Nintendo's 2025 lineup felt more niche and regionally skewed compared with Switch 1's broader first-year slate.
Launch Timing Likely Reworked
- Keza suggests Switch 2 may have been planned earlier with different launch titles and was delayed, changing its intended holiday momentum.
- Shifts in timing and pandemic-era sales likely altered Nintendo's original launch strategy.