Launch of ‘Mario Red Edition’ Switch OLED Doubles Sales in Japan

Strong surge in sales despite cosmetic changes

The recent debut of the ‘Mario Red Edition’ Switch OLED has proven to be a resounding success, doubling system sales in Japan since its launch last week.

According to data from Famitsu (via Bloomberg), fans of Mario in Japan purchased a staggering 110,241 units at launch, which marked a two-fold increase compared to the preceding week. Impressively, sales of this new system have also surpassed those of the same period in 2022.

The ‘Mario Red Edition’ Switch appears to have had a similar impact in Japan as the releases of the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Splatoon 3 systems. This distinct theme incorporates additional details, including a coin graphic and a silhouette of Mario on the back of the dock.

Robin Zhu, an analyst at Bernstein, expressed surprise at the sales success of this new Switch, noting that it is essentially the same device with a different external design. Nintendo has set a target of 15 million units to be sold in the current fiscal cycle, representing a decrease of approximately 17% compared to the previous year.

The launch of the ‘Mario Red Edition’ Switch OLED coincides with the upcoming release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder on October 20th. In a recent poll conducted here on Nintendo Life, 45% of participants indicated no interest in acquiring this new themed system.

Have you acquired the ‘Mario Red Edition’ Switch? Are there any other themed systems you’d like to see? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.