Nintendo sees record 3.5 million sales of its latest Switch console in first four days

Nintendo sold more than 3.5 million units of its flagship Switch 2 gaming system in the four days following its launch, a record-breaking start for the company's first new console in eight years. 

The sales figures, reported by the Japanese multinational video-game company on Wednesday, put it on the path to realizing its aim of selling 15 million units of the Switch 2 console in the fiscal year ending March 2026. 

The Switch 2, which was released on June 5, has been met with much fanfare, with fans fans lined up for hours ahead of midnight releases at Nintendo stores.

"Fans around the world are showing their enthusiasm for Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded way to play at home and on the go," Nintendo of America President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Bowser said in a statement, adding the company was thankful for the response. 

Tokyo-listed shares of Nintendo, which have gained nearly 30% so far this year, were down 3.5% on Wednesday, LSEG data showed. The company has seen its shares rise nearly fivefold since the original Switch debuted in early March 2017.

It remains to be seen if the Switch 2 can recapture the magic of its predecessor, which had set the bar with 15 million unit sales in its first year. It went on to sell more than 152 million units to become the second-highest selling Nintendo device ever, behind the Nintendo DS.

The record initial sales of the Switch are in line with the strong demand analysts had predicted. However, the rush has put into question Nintendo's ability to meet demand. 

Retailers including Walmart, GameStop, Target and Best Buy were out of stock of the consoles, their online stores showed Wednesday. 

In April, Nintendo's Bowser told CNBC that the company had been working with "retail partners to ensure there's ample supply for not only the launch weekend, but well beyond."

However, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated the same month that 2.2 million people in Japan had entered the lottery to purchase the Switch 2 on launch day, exceeding expectations and what the company had initially planned to deliver to stores.

Serkan Toto, CEO of Tokyo-based games consultancy Kantan Games, previously told CNBC shortages in Japan were expected to persist.

President Donald Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" on most countries around the world also present headwinds for the Switch 2. 

In April, the company announced that it would delay preorders of the Switch 2 in the U.S. while it considers the impact of tariffs.

The Switch 2 retails for $449 in the U.S., which makes it Nintendo's priciest console to date.

Nintendo's Bowser said in April the company was going to "monitor where tariffs are going" before making any further decisions on price hikes. 

The Switch 2 builds on the success of the original Switch, featuring a larger screen, improved performance, and a higher price tag. The system also introduces the new GameChat2 feature, which allows players to voice or video chat with friends online and share game screens.

— CNBC's Arjun Kharpal contributed to this story.