Most popular consoles of all time

The best-selling video game consoles of all time have been revealed, as per Visual Capitalist.

The website has dived into the history of consoles, going all the way back to 1972, when the Magnavox Odyssey and Atari’s Pong first hit shelves.

Since then, as per the website, the console market has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry that will reach a value of $72.67 billion by the end of 2022.

A graphic by Enrique Mendoza pulls data from VGChartz to show the top-selling video game consoles of all time as of May 8, 2022.

Let’s dive in and take a look.

The best-selling video game consoles of all time

10. Game Boy Advance – Nintendo – 81.51 million sales.

9. Xbox 360 – Microsoft – 85.8 million sales.

8. PlayStation 3 – Sony – 87.41 million sales.

7. Nintendo Wii – Nintendo – 101.64 million sales.

6. PlayStation – Sony – 102.5 million sales.

5. Nintendo Switch – Nintendo – 107.21 million sales.

4. PlayStation 4 – Sony – 116.97 million sales.

3. Game Boy – Nintendo – 118.69 million sales.

2. Nintendo DS – Nintendo – 154.9 million sales.

1. PlayStation 2 – Sony – 157.68 million sales.

Most popular consoles of all time

It is notable here that five of the consoles – exactly half the list – were made by Nintendo, and that their most recent release, the Switch, has already surpassed 100 million units sold.

It’s also perhaps surprising that the Xbox One does not feature on the list at all, although the PS4 does, as the fourth-highest seller. It’s clear to say here that Sony won that particular console war.

Neither the PS5 nor the Xbox Series X/S have made the list, but that may come down to a number of factors, notably the shortage of both consoles since the pandemic.

The PS2 is far and away the biggest seller and Visual Capitalist point out that a major reason for that is the built-in DVD player, as they were often incredibly expensive around the time of the console’s release, and the PS2 was actually a cheaper alternative.

It was also a backwards compatible console, meaning that players who bought the PS1 could play their games on the PS2 from the off.

It remains to be seen if any consoles can ever outstrip the success of Sony’s best-selling unit.

Keep it tuned to GiveMeSport for the latest gaming news!

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Enrique Mendoza's graphic on Visual Capitalist illustrates which video game consoles have dominated the industry since 1972, when the console was first made commercially available.


Key Takeaways:

  • Total North American console sales account for nearly 40 percent of the global total, while Nintendo dominates brands with an estimated 49 percent share of consoles sold.

  • The Playstation 2 (157.68 million), is the best-selling individual console of all time, and only seven consoles (all either Sony or Nintendo) have exceeded 100 million total sales worldwide.

  • As of May 8, 2022, Sony's in demand console the Playstation 5, which is still very hard to purchase, was slowly climbing the ladder with 19.32 million total sales worldwide.


Most popular consoles of all time


The Top 10 Best-Selling Video Game Consoles Of All Time

Rank Console Manufacturer Global lifetime sales (millions)
1 PlayStation 2 (PS2) Sony 157.68
2 Nintendo DS (DS) Nintendo 154.90
3 Game Boy (GB) Nintendo 118.69
4 PlayStation 4 (PS4) Sony 116.97
5 Nintendo Switch (NS) Nintendo 107.21
6 PlayStation (PS) Sony 102.50
7 Nintendo Wii (Wii) Nintendo 101.64
8 PlayStation 3 (PS3) Sony 87.41
9 Xbox 360 (X360) Microsoft 85.8
10 Game Boy Advance (GBA) Nintendo 81.51

Read more at Visual Capitalist.

The video game industry is a lucrative business, with some home consoles selling tens of millions of units worldwide. How well each console sold is a great measure of what went right during that particular generation. It’s an effective way to gauge a specific manufacturer’s success, while seeing what gamers gravitated toward — and whether a console has gimmicky features or ideas that stick around.

Contents

  • 10. Xbox One ~ 46 million
  • 9. Super Nintendo Entertainment System – 50 million
  • 8. Nintendo Switch – 55 million
  • 7. Nintendo Entertainment System – 61 million
  • 6. Xbox 360 – 85 million
  • 5. PlayStation 3 – 86 million
  • 4. Nintendo Wii – 101 million
  • 3. PlayStation – 102 million
  • 2. PlayStation 4 – 108 million
  • 1. PlayStation 2 – 155 million
  • Show 6 more items

Before getting into the bestselling consoles, it’s important to note that this list does not include dedicated handhelds. These figures do not account for used system sales since manufacturers don’t have a way to track those transactions (and don’t earn profit from them, anyway).

These systems are also home to some of the bestselling games of all time, which you can check out here.

10. Xbox One ~ 46 million

It might be surprising, but despite “losing” the current generation, Microsoft has still done well with the Xbox One. Even after getting off to such a rough start following the system’s reveal in 2013, the Xbox One was able to turn things around, thanks to its many consumer-friendly features like Xbox Game Pass, Play Anywhere, and Games with Gold. Microsoft has not publicly announced the system’s exact sales figures, but an estimated 46 million have been sold since its release seven years ago.

9. Super Nintendo Entertainment System – 50 million

Many gamers have a soft spot for the SNES — a system that featured some of the most beloved games of all time. Games like Super Mario Kart, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Super Metroid, and Super Mario World are just some of the titles you might remember. It took most of what the original NES did well and improved upon it, giving its audience exciting and memorable 16-bit experiences. Though it didn’t sell quite as well as the NES, it still did respectably, and we owe a lot to what this system was able to do in 1991.

8. Nintendo Switch – 55 million

Although the Switch is playable in handheld mode, we’re counting it as a home console — especially since it’s the main system Nintendo is supporting currently. And what a system it is. It’s one of the most unique consoles in history, giving its audience the ability to take it on the go, play it at home, or play in tabletop mode with friends. Not only has it surpassed the sales of the Xbox One, SNES, and others, but it’s done so in record time. According to Nintendo, games for the Switch will continue to release for at least another three years, so it has the potential to surpass the coveted 100 million mark. With tremendous experiences like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and even third-party games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it’s easy to see why it’s done so well.

7. Nintendo Entertainment System – 61 million

Video games would not be what they are today without the NES, period. At the time, it gave consumers a way to have arcade-like experiences at home and revolutionized the idea of video games, in general. Though home consoles existed prior to this, it’s the machine that put them on the map, giving people a way to affordably play games at home. It was also the start of so many beloved franchises we love today, like Zelda, Mario, Metroid, and Mega Man. Other consoles went on to outsell it, but its impact is just as important today as it was over 35 years ago.

6. Xbox 360 – 85 million

Much like the NES and SNES before it, the Xbox 360 revolutionized the way we play games. It popularized HD visuals, providing consumers with stunning experiences that hold up even today. Although other consoles featured online functionality before it, the Xbox 360 made online console gaming much more mainstream. But the games are what truly make this machine shine. Titles like Gears of War, Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, Fallout 3, BioShock, and Mass Effect are just some of the impressive lineup of games this system has. Considering how softly the original Xbox sold, Microsoft struck gold with the Xbox 360.

5. PlayStation 3 – 86 million

As with the Xbox One, the PS3 got off to a rocky start. Telling your audience to get a second job to afford a $600 machine was most definitely not the way to go, but Sony managed to turn things around to outsell the Xbox 360. The PS3 had fantastic ideas, but once again, games are what resonated with its audience. At its peak, the console was pushing indie titles like Journey, Hotline Miami, and Guacamelee!,and its AAA experiences like the Uncharted trilogy, Metal Gear Solid 4, God of War 3, Gran Turismo 5, and The Last of Us gave its audience a reason to buy the console. While it had its shortcomings, the PS3 is an important benchmark in video game history.

4. Nintendo Wii – 101 million

There hasn’t been anything quite like the Wii. It was a system grandma could play. Everyone wanted one, and for the first year or two after it launched, it was sold out everywhere. Though it was aimed at a broader audience, focusing on casual experiences like Wii Sports and Wii Fit, the system still had a handful of games for “core” gamers. The Super Mario Galaxy games are still considered some of the best of all time, while entries like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword are fondly remembered today. Say what you want about the gimmicky motion controls — the Wii was a behemoth that managed to surpass 101 million units sold.

3. PlayStation – 102 million

If you can believe it, the original PlayStation (as we know it) almost didn’t happen. At the time, Nintendo and PlayStation were in talks to partner with one another for the 64-bit console generation. As you can probably guess, it never happened. And we’re so glad it didn’t. Sony went off to create the PlayStation, which is the console many of us grew up with. It featured a breadth of marquee titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Resident Evil, Tekken, Silent Hill, Metal Gear Solid, and Final Fantasy VII. As one of the first disc-based consoles, it gave its users a way to listen to music via CDs, which likely bolstered its sales, leading to over 102 million units sold.

2. PlayStation 4 – 108 million

Sony got off on the right foot with the PS4. From the very start of its life cycle in 2013, the messaging was clear, the price was right, and the games were (and still are) monumental. It expanded upon the ideas introduced with the PS3, with a higher focus on online fidelity and its user experience. Its lineup of games is arguably one of the strongest in history, with the likes of Bloodborne, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, Persona 5, Uncharted 4, and Horizon Zero Dawn captivating audiences around the globe. What’s fascinating is that the PS4 still has some time left in its life cycle and will likely sell millions more, especially with massive upcoming games on the horizon like The Last of Us Part II.

1. PlayStation 2 – 155 million

The PS2 was, without a doubt, the best-selling gaming console ever. Its sales statistics were so huge that we couldn’t imagine another console comparing for a long while. The PS2 was one of the era’s most affordable DVD players and also allowed you to play over 3,500 published games.

It was an amazing time to game thanks to all those options, and the PS2 sold well all over the globe. Whatever you needed – Gran Turismo 4, Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 3, God of War, or even Grand Theft Auto III, the PS2 had you covered.

The PS2 took over a decade for Sony to design, build, and release but it was well worth the wait. The PS2 capitalized on the original console’s best elements and eliminated the problems. The console set the stage for many of the most popular and beloved video game franchises of our time.

The PS2 is iconic it holds a place in gamers’ hearts that has lasted through changing times and trends. Playing remastered games or sequels gives the best sense of wellbeing and nostalgia. We’re still waiting for another console to change the game as significantly as the PS2.