TOKYO—Nintendo Co. has decided to at least double its planned production of the Switch console in the year ending March 2018 owing to strong demand, people briefed on the plans said.

That suggests the Switch, which went on sale globally March 3, is on a similar track in its first year as Nintendo’s popular Wii system a decade ago. If so, it would deliver a badly needed hit for a company whose previous console, the Wii U, fell far short of expectations.

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