Nintendo Dominates Xbox in 2026 | Generated by AI
Yes, based on the latest sales and financial data from late 2025 and early 2026, Nintendo is currently outperforming Xbox by a significant margin. While Nintendo is experiencing a massive surge in sales and profit thanks to the new Switch 2, Microsoft’s Xbox division is facing notable declines in hardware sales and gaming revenue.
The table below compares their recent performance to make the difference clear.
| Metric | Nintendo | Xbox (Microsoft) |
|---|---|---|
| Recent Hardware Sales (Quarterly) | 7.01 million units (Switch 2, Q3 2025) | Steep decline, down 32% year-on-year (Q2 2025) |
| Recent Hardware Sales (Annual) | 17.37 million units (Switch 2, since June 2025 launch) | approx. 1.7 million units (Series X|S, full year 2025) |
| Financial Performance | Net sales up +99.3% , profit up +51.3% (YoY) | Gaming revenue down -9% , content revenue down -5% (YoY) |
| Total Hardware Sold (Lifetime) | 155.37 million (Switch) + 17.37 million (Switch 2) | approx. 34.2 million (Series X|S) |
📊 Breaking Down the Performance
Here’s a closer look at what’s behind these numbers for each company.
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Nintendo’s Blockbuster Success with Switch 2: The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been a phenomenal success. In just the first nine months since its June 2025 launch, it sold 17.37 million units . This incredible demand has driven Nintendo’s net sales to nearly double, with a massive 99.3% increase year-on-year . A key driver of this hardware success is the strength of its exclusive games, with Mario Kart World alone selling an impressive 14 million copies .
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Xbox’s Challenging Transition: In contrast, Xbox is facing a tough period for its console business. Hardware revenue for Xbox dropped by 32% in the last quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 . This is part of a larger trend, with total sales of the Xbox Series X S for the full year 2025 estimated at a low 1.7 million units . Microsoft has acknowledged that both first-party game performance and hardware sales were “below expectations” and “disappointing” . This reflects a strategic shift where Microsoft is increasingly focusing on its Game Pass subscription service and cloud gaming, rather than just console sales .
🤔 A Deeper Look at the Numbers
It’s important to get a complete picture of the gaming market.
- Market Share Context: You might come across statistics showing Microsoft with a large market share . These figures often track online usage (like from Windows PCs or Bing searches) rather than actual console sales, so they don’t reflect hardware performance.
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PlayStation’s Position: While this comparison focuses on Nintendo and Xbox, it’s worth noting that Sony’s PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console of 2025 in terms of annual sales, outperforming both the aging Nintendo Switch and the Xbox Series X S . However, Nintendo’s overall hardware sales, when combining the Switch and the new Switch 2, are now in a league of their own. - A Note on Xbox’s Content: Despite the hardware struggles, Microsoft’s gaming content remains popular. Data from SensorTower indicates that Xbox is the second-largest publisher on PC and console, thanks to major franchises like Call of Duty and Minecraft .
I hope this comparison gives you a clear picture of where Nintendo and Xbox stand. Would you be interested in a similar comparison between Nintendo and Sony’s PlayStation?