What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The often-cited nearly $60 billion figure is an estimate for Nintendo’s dedicated video game business from March 2017 through December 2021—not revenue from the Switch alone. TweakTown’s retrospective says the total includes 3DS hardware and software as well as Switch, with most of the earnings attributed to Switch. TweakTown’s five-year breakdown puts the broader business at $59.8 billion.
What the nearly $60 billion figure measures
The $59.8 billion is TweakTown’s estimate of revenue from Nintendo’s dedicated video game business over the period March 2017 to December 2021. It covers more than one hardware generation: the publication explicitly includes 3DS hardware and software alongside Switch. It is therefore inaccurate to describe the entire sum as Switch-only revenue or as a figure Nintendo reported specifically for Switch.
TweakTown says most of the business’s earnings in that period came from Switch, but the published total remains a multi-platform estimate. The retrospective is useful for showing the scale of Nintendo’s dedicated game business during the Switch’s first five years, not for isolating the console’s precise revenue. Read the retrospective.
How the estimate breaks down
In a separate article, TweakTown attributes the following hardware and software amounts to the same broad dedicated video game business. The split should not be read as Switch-only revenue.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
| Category | TweakTown estimate | Reported share |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware | $33.16 billion | 55% |
| Software | $26.63 billion | 45% |
TweakTown says it used Nintendo’s historical foreign-exchange rates to convert yen to dollars. Its article does not show a full calculation table, so the conversion and total cannot be reconstructed line by line from the published material alone. These are attributed estimates, not an audited Switch-only breakdown. TweakTown’s hardware and software estimate.
What Nintendo reported separately for FY2022
Nintendo’s financial results provide a separate, company-reported snapshot for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. That fiscal year runs from April 2021 through March 2022, so it is not the same period as TweakTown’s March 2017–December 2021 estimate.
Rank #2
- 6.2” LCD screen
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
- Nintendo Switch is the home of Mario & friends
| Nintendo FY2022 measure | Reported result | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Switch hardware sold | 23.06 million units | Fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 |
| Switch software sold | 235.07 million units | Fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 |
| Digital sales | 359.6 billion yen | Nintendo’s dedicated video game platform business in FY2022 |
Nintendo said hardware sales declined 20.0% year over year, citing semiconductor and other parts shortages. It described the 235.07 million software units as the highest annual software sales figure then recorded for a Nintendo platform. The digital-sales category includes downloadable versions of packaged games, download-only software, add-on content and Nintendo Switch Online; it is not a dollar figure for the five-year estimate.
Nintendo defines its Switch platform as hardware, software—including digital formats and online service—and accessories. Its official figures and definitions are in the Financial Results for Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022, published May 10, 2022.
Rank #3
- Play your way with the Nintendo Switch gaming system. Whether you’re at home or on the go, solo or with friends, the Nintendo Switch system is designed to fit your life. Dock your Nintendo Switch to enjoy HD gaming on your TV. Heading out? Just undock your console and keep playing in handheld mode
- This model includes battery life of approximately 4.5 - 9 hours.
- The battery life will depend on the games you play. For instance, the battery will last approximately 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (games sold separately)
- Model number HAC 001( 01)
Why the two sets of numbers should not be combined
- Different periods: TweakTown’s estimate ends in December 2021; Nintendo’s FY2022 covers April 2021 through March 2022.
- Different measures: the retrospective estimates revenue in dollars, while Nintendo’s cited annual figures report hardware and software units and digital sales in yen.
- Different scope and source: TweakTown’s revenue estimate includes 3DS as well as Switch; Nintendo’s financial release is company reporting for its stated fiscal-year categories.
Keeping those distinctions intact gives the figures their proper meaning: the nearly $60 billion illustrates the reach of Nintendo’s broader dedicated game business during the Switch’s early years, while Nintendo’s FY2022 report offers a separate view of console and software sales in one fiscal year.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
- Two players can each take one
- Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)
- Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Rank #4
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- 6.2” LCD screen.
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
