Sony's PlayStation 2 stands unrivaled as the best-selling video game console of all time, boasting an impressive 160 million units sold. The PlayStation 4, while a massive success in its own right, concluded its lifecycle approximately 40 million units shy of its iconic predecessor. On the other hand, Nintendo's Switch has surged past the PS4, claiming a prestigious spot among the top three best-selling consoles.
As both the Switch and PS4 have solidified their positions among the all-time greats, we delve deeper into the sales performance of other notable consoles from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Below, you can explore our comprehensive list of the 28 best-selling video game consoles of all time. This list not only includes sales figures but also provides insights into release dates and highlights the highest-rated games for each console.
Please note that some sales data is provided directly by the manufacturers, whereas other figures are estimates derived from the latest reported numbers and market analysis. These unofficial sales totals are indicated with an asterisk (*).
For those interested in the cream of the crop, here's a quick overview of the top 5 best-selling consoles:
PlayStation 2 (Sony) – 160 million units sold
Nintendo DS (Nintendo) – 154.02 million units sold
Nintendo Switch (Nintendo) – 150.86 million units sold
Game Boy/Game Boy Color (Nintendo) – 118.69 million units sold
PlayStation 4 (Sony) – 117.2 million units sold
Scroll down for a more detailed analysis and breakdown of these figures.