• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechNintendo

A Look Back at Nintendo Switch’s First Week

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 10, 2017, 1:30 PM ET
Nintendo Switch Console Hardware Shoot
A Nintendo Switch console with a pair of Joy-Con controllers, taken on February 22, 2017. (Photo by Joby Sessions/Future Publishing via Getty Images)Future Publishing Future Publishing

One week after its release, the Nintendo Switch video game console looks like a hit.

The console, which sells for $300, lets users play games from their television and while on the go, and is nearly impossible to find in stores. People who have been able to buy a console are generally impressed by its features and games. Simply put, Nintendo has had a great week.

Here’s a brief recap of the Nintendo (NTDOY) Switch’s first week:

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

A Successful Launch

The Nintendo Switch’s launch couldn’t have been better for the iconic game company.

In the days leading up to the Switch’s release on March 3, the console earned positive reviews. Meanwhile, Nintendo gave demonstrations of the Switch in stores across the U.S. that attracted a large crowds.

On launch day, some retailers opened their doors at midnight to throngs of customers. And by the afternoon, the Switch was sold out, leaving those who didn’t get a chance to preorder the device with two options: wait for available stock or buy the device for hundreds of dollars on top of the list price through eBay (EBAY).

While Nintendo hasn’t shared exact sales figures, the company did say this week that Switch sales in its first two days were better than those for any other Nintendo console’s first two days of availability.

Here’s a handy tool to help you find out where new units are available.

A Strong Game Lineup

Part of the Switch’s success so far can be attributed to the games for it that debuted at the same time. And chief among those games was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Some reviewers have called Zelda the best installment of the game franchise since the 1990s hit The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. According to Metacritic, a site that collects reviews about video games, critics gave Breath of the Wild a score of 98 out of 100 from critics. Meanwhile, regular players gave it only positive reviews on Metacritic.

But Zelda is not alone. Another new Switch game, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, has earned a score of 88 out of 100. Three others—Blaster Master Zero, Snipperclips, and Fast RMX—have earned Metacritic scores of 80 or better.

Customers Praise Switch’s Features

New Switch owners have generally praised the console on social media for its gameplay. They particularly like the ability to place the Switch in its dock to play on their televisions, or remove it from there and play on the go without losing game progress. On Amazon (AMZN), the device’s customer ratings are at about 4.7 out of 5, and the console has earned similarly strong reviews on other retailer sites.

Granted, many of those customers are early adopters and they may not reflect the average customer. But in the past, initial excitement for new consoles has generally translated into strong sales over the long term.

A Look Ahead

The Switch’s popularity is expected to continue, and availability will be limited. But it’s still too early to tell whether it’ll mirror the Nintendo Wii’s early days in 2006, when people waited in line every weekend for the small number of consoles available.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Big Tech
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative cut 70 jobs as the Meta CEO’s philanthropy goes all in on mission to 'cure or prevent all disease'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 1, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
U.S. Olympic gold medalist went from $200,000-a-year sponsorship at 20 years old to $12-an-hour internship by 30
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 1, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
'I just don't have a good feeling about this': Top economist Claudia Sahm says the economy quietly shifted and everyone's now looking at the wrong alarm
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 31, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Ford CEO has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with up to 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: 'We are in trouble in our country'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 31, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Ryan Serhant starts work at 4:30 a.m.—he says most people don’t achieve their dreams because ‘what they really want is just to be lazy’
By Preston ForeJanuary 31, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Energy
Top energy expert says probability the U.S. will attack Iran soon is 75% as risk of major disruption to oil supply is priced in — 'this one is real'
By Jason MaFebruary 1, 2026
23 hours ago

Latest in Tech

schlicht
AIBots
Meet Matt Schlicht, the man behind AI’s latest Pandora’s Box moment—a social network where AI agents talk to each other
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 2, 2026
13 minutes ago
Andy Jassy speaks onstage.
AILabor
If AI is roiling the job market, the data isn’t showing it, Yale Budget Lab report says, raising questions of ‘AI-washing’ to justify mass layoffs
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 2, 2026
14 minutes ago
AIOpenAI
Nvidia CEO denies ‘nonsense’ report he’s unhappy with OpenAI: ‘I really love working with Sam’
By Jason MaFebruary 2, 2026
2 hours ago
a person holds a smartphone displaying the Moltbook logo
CybersecurityTech
Top AI leaders are begging people not to use Moltbook, a social media platform for AI agents: It’s a ‘disaster waiting to happen’
By Eva RoytburgFebruary 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo of Donald Trump
InnovationPolitics
It took the U.S. decades to respond to the 1970s energy shock with a strategic oil reserve, now it’s rerunning that playbook with rare earths
By Tristan BoveFebruary 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Sam Altman is standing with his arms folded.
AIOpenAI
OpenAI launches Codex app to bring its coding models, which were used to build viral OpenClaw, to more users
By Beatrice NolanFebruary 2, 2026
3 hours ago