New research has revealed the most successful game consoles of all time, with the Nintendo Switch topping the list. Analysis conducted by online delivery experts NextDayDelivery.co.uk studied sales data for game consoles over time and found that the Nintendo Switch is the most successful game console ever.
Released in 2017, the Switch has sold over 90 million units in just four years of production, giving it the top spot in the list with an average of 22 million consoles sold per year. Many of these sales came during 2020, with sales on games for the console increasing 122% during the COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK. The Switch was revolutionary as it was the world’s first hybrid console, that could be used on a TV and as a handheld at the same time.
|
Console |
Units sold (million) |
Years in production |
Average sold per year (million) |
|
Nintendo Switch |
90.54 |
4 |
22.64 |
|
Nintendo DS |
154.9 |
9 |
17.21 |
|
PlayStation 4 |
116.44 |
8 |
14.56 |
|
PlayStation 5 |
13.4 |
1 |
13.4 |
|
PlayStation 2 |
157.68 |
12 |
13.14 |
|
PlayStation 3 |
87.41 |
9 |
9.71 |
|
Wii |
101.64 |
11 |
9.24 |
|
Game Boy Advance |
81.51 |
9 |
9.06 |
|
Xbox Series X |
9 |
1 |
9 |
|
PlayStation |
102.5 |
12 |
8.54 |
|
Game Boy |
118.69 |
14 |
8.48 |
|
Nintendo 3DS |
75.94 |
9 |
8.44 |
|
PlayStation Portable |
81.09 |
10 |
8.11 |
|
Xbox 360 |
85.8 |
11 |
7.80 |
|
Xbox One |
50.37 |
8 |
6.30 |
|
Nintendo 64 |
32.93 |
6 |
5.49 |
|
Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
49.1 |
13 |
3.78 |
|
GameCube |
21.74 |
6 |
3.62 |
|
Nintendo Entertainment System |
61.91 |
18 |
3.44 |
|
Xbox (Original) |
24.65 |
8 |
3.08 |
|
Sega Genesis |
29.54 |
11 |
2.69 |
|
Atari 2600 |
27.64 |
16 |
1.73 |
Nintendo takes the top two spots in the list, with the DS coming in second. Selling over 154 million units across nine years from 2004 to 2013, the DS was praised for its portability and huge collection of games. Many variants were released of the handheld console across its lifespan which included the DSi and DS Lite.
The list is also great news for PlayStation fans, with five different generations of the console featuring in the top ten. The PlayStation 4 takes third place with 116 million units sold since its release in late 2013. The PS4 and Xbox One have been a part of a fierce console war for the past eight years, however Sony’s console has sold more than double the units of Microsoft’s counterpart.
For those interested in the next generation, both the PS5 and Xbox Series X feature in the top ten despite only being in production for a year. With both in high demand this Christmas, sales numbers are expected to climb significantly, with the PS5 estimated to sell 67 million units by 2024. Both have been out of stock for the majority of their first year on sale, however many retailers are expecting to replenish their stock for this year’s Black Friday.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from NextDayDelivery stated: “With the console war between PlayStation and Xbox raging on, it’s interesting to see that Nintendo still takes the two top spots in the list of the most successful consoles. With Black Friday just around the corner, lots of people will be excited about finally receiving their delivery of one of the consoles.”
Next Day Delivery offers a comprehensive overview of all UK online shops that offer delivery in 24 hours, providing up to date info on delivery and payment options.
