Introduction
Read our article for the latest available console sales figures and rankings as of June 2026, including PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo hardware, historical comparisons, and SellCell’s forecast for how the rankings could look by 2030.
This article reveals how many units each major console has sold, which console is currently the best-selling of all time, and which systems are now closest to challenging that record.
Contents
- Best Selling Consoles of All Time
- How Many PS5 Have Been Sold?
- How Many PS4 Have Been Sold?
- How Many Xbox Series X/S Have Been Sold?
- How Many Nintendo Switch Consoles Have Been Sold?
- Best Selling Nintendo Consoles
- Best Selling PlayStation Consoles
- Best Selling Xbox Consoles
- What Was the First Ever Video Game Console?
- SellCell Forecast: How Could the All-Time Console Rankings Change Between 2026 and 2030?
- PlayStation 2: The Best Selling Console, Ever
- Conclusion
SellCell Key Findings:
- The Nintendo Switch has sold 155.92 million units and now sits just 4.08 million units behind the PlayStation 2’s all-time sales record.
- The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling console of all time based on the latest available sales figures as of June 2026, with more than 160 million units sold worldwide.
- Nintendo occupies second, third and fourth place in the all-time rankings through the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo DS and Game Boy/Game Boy Color.
- The PlayStation 5 has sold 93.7 million units and is now Sony’s fourth best-selling console, having overtaken the PlayStation 3.
- SellCell forecasts the Nintendo Switch could become the best-selling console in history by 2030, reaching between 165 million and 170 million lifetime sales.
Article Overview
The aim of this article is to rank the best-selling consoles of all time using the latest available sales data. Alongside PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo hardware, it compares sales performance across generations and examines how the all-time rankings could change in the years ahead.
Best Selling Consoles of All Time: Sales Statistics
Based on the latest available sales figures as of June 2026, the PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling games console of all time with more than 160 million units sold worldwide.
However, Nintendo’s Switch has narrowed the gap to just 4.08 million units, making it the closest challenger Sony’s long-standing record has ever faced. Nintendo now occupies second, third and fourth place in the all-time rankings through the Switch, Nintendo DS and Game Boy/Game Boy Color.
Below, we rank the best-selling consoles ever released using the latest available sales figures and compare how today’s leading systems stack up against gaming’s biggest success stories.
All figures below reflect the latest available sales data as of June 2026. Figures for consoles still in production may continue to change.
| BEST SELLING GAMES CONSOLES OF ALL TIME (LATEST AVAILABLE SALES FIGURES – JUNE 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | Units sold in millions | ||
| 1 | PlayStation 2 | 04/03/2000 | 160 |
| 2 | *Nintendo Switch | 03/03/2017 | 155.92 |
| 3 | Nintendo DS | 21/11/2004 | 154.02 |
| 4 | Game Boy/Game Boy Color | 21/04/1989 | 118.69 |
| 5 | *PlayStation 4 | 15/11/2013 | 117.2 |
| 6 | PlayStation | 03/12/1994 | 102.4 |
| 7 | Nintendo Wii | 19/11/2006 | 101.63 |
| 8 | *PlayStation 5 | 12/11/2020 | 93.7 |
| 9 | PlayStation 3 | 11/11/2006 | 87.5 |
| 10 | Xbox 360 | 22/11/2005 | 85 |
| 11 | PlayStation Portable | 12/12/2004 | 82.5 |
| 12 | Game Boy Advance | 21/03/2001 | 81.51 |
| 13 | Nintendo 3DS | 26/02/2011 | 75.94 |
| 14 | NES/Famicom | 15/07/1983 | 61.91 |
| 15 | Xbox One | 22/11/2013 | 58 |
| 16 | SNES/Super Famicom | 21/11/1990 | 49.1 |
| 17 | Sega Genesis/Mega Drive | 29/10/1988 | 35 |
| 18 | *Xbox Series X/S | 10/11/2020 | 33.5 |
| 19 | Nintendo 64 | 23/06/1996 | 32.93 |
| 20 | Atari 2600 | 11/09/1977 | 30 |
| 21 | *Quest 2 | 13/10/2020 | 22.8 |
| 22 | GameCube | 14/09/2001 | 21.74 |
| 23 | Xbox | 15/11/2001 | 21 |
| 24 | Sega Master System/Mark III | 20/10/1985 | 20 |
| 25 | *Nintendo Switch 2 | 05/06/2025 | 19.86 |
| 26 | PlayStation Vita | 17/12/2011 | 14 |
| 27 | Sega Game Gear | 06/10/1990 | 13.9 |
| 28 | Wii U | 18/11/2012 | 13.56 |
| 29 | Sega Saturn | 22/11/1994 | 9.26 |
| 30 | Sega Dreamcast | 27/11/1998 | 9.13 |
| *Production status ongoing so units sold is subject to change | |||
The best-selling games console of all time is Sony’s PlayStation 2, which sold more than 160 million units during its lifetime.
The Nintendo Switch is now the second best-selling console ever, with 155.92 million units sold. It has overtaken the Nintendo DS, which sold 154.02 million units, and now sits just 4.08 million units behind the PlayStation 2.
Nintendo dominates the upper end of the rankings, occupying 2nd, 3rd and 4th place with the Switch, Nintendo DS and Game Boy/Game Boy Color respectively.
Microsoft’s best-selling console remains the Xbox 360, with an estimated 85 million units sold. The Xbox Series X/S family currently stands at an estimated 33.5 million units.
Atari also appears in the rankings, with the Atari 2600 selling 30 million units.
How Many PS5 Have Been Sold?
The PlayStation 5 was released on November 12, 2020.
Since launch, Sony has sold 93.7 million PS5 consoles worldwide. This makes the PS5 the eighth best-selling games console of all time, having already overtaken the PlayStation 3, which sold 87.5 million units during its lifetime.
The PS5 is now just 8.7 million units behind the original PlayStation, which sold 102.4 million units, and 23.5 million units behind the PlayStation 4’s total of 117.2 million units. As Sony continues to manufacture and sell the console, the PS5 is expected to move further up the all-time rankings.
How Many PS4 Have Been Sold?
The PlayStation 4 was released on November 15, 2013. In 2021, Sony confirmed it was discontinuing production of most PS4 models.
During its production lifetime, the PS4 sold 117.2 million units. This makes it the fifth best-selling games console of all time and the second best-selling PlayStation console ever released, behind only the PlayStation 2.
The PS4 sold 29.7 million more units than the PlayStation 3 and 14.8 million more than the original PlayStation. While it never challenged the PlayStation 2’s record of 160 million units sold, it remains one of the most successful consoles ever released.
How Many Xbox Series X/S Have Been Sold?
Microsoft released the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on November 10, 2020, two days before Sony launched the PlayStation 5.
According to the latest available estimates, the Xbox Series X/S family has sold 33.5 million units worldwide. This places Microsoft’s current-generation console family 18th in the all-time rankings.
Microsoft no longer regularly publishes console sales figures, meaning Xbox hardware sales are estimated. However, the Series X/S has already surpassed the original Xbox, which sold 21 million units, and now sits 24.5 million units behind the Xbox One and 51.5 million units behind the Xbox 360, Microsoft’s best-selling console.
How Many Nintendo Switch Consoles Have Been Sold?
Nintendo released the original Switch on March 3, 2017. It followed with the Switch Lite on September 20, 2019, and the Switch OLED on October 8, 2021.
Combined sales across the Nintendo Switch family now stand at 155.92 million units, making it the second best-selling games console of all time.
The Switch has now overtaken the Nintendo DS, which sold 154.02 million units, to become Nintendo’s best-selling console ever. It has also comfortably surpassed the Game Boy and Game Boy Color’s combined total of 118.69 million units and the Nintendo Wii’s 101.63 million units.
Nintendo combines sales data for the original Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite and Switch OLED into a single hardware total. With the PlayStation 2 sitting on 160 million units sold, the Switch is now less than 5 million units away from becoming the best-selling games console of all time.
Best Selling Nintendo Consoles: Top 10 Highest Selling Nintendo Consoles
| BEST SELLING NINTENDO GAMES CONSOLES OF ALL TIME (LATEST AVAILABLE SALES FIGURES – JUNE 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | Units sold in millions | ||
| 1 | *Nintendo Switch | 03/03/2017 | 155.92 |
| 2 | Nintendo DS | 21/11/2004 | 154.02 |
| 3 | Game Boy/Game Boy Color | 21/04/1989 | 118.69 |
| 4 | Nintendo Wii | 19/11/2006 | 101.63 |
| 5 | Game Boy Advance | 21/03/2001 | 81.51 |
| 6 | Nintendo 3DS | 26/02/2011 | 75.94 |
| 7 | NES/Famicom | 15/07/1983 | 61.91 |
| 8 | SNES/Super Famicom | 21/11/1990 | 49.1 |
| 9 | Nintendo 64 | 23/06/1996 | 32.93 |
| 10 | GameCube | 14/09/2001 | 21.74 |
| 11 | *Nintendo Switch 2 | 05/06/2025 | 19.86 |
| *Production status ongoing so units sold is subject to change | |||
The Nintendo Switch is now Nintendo’s best-selling console of all time, with 155.92 million units sold.
It has overtaken the Nintendo DS, which sold 154.02 million units during its lifetime, and now ranks second in the overall all-time console rankings behind only the PlayStation 2.
The Game Boy and Game Boy Color rank third among Nintendo consoles, with combined sales of 118.69 million units, while the Wii remains Nintendo’s best-selling traditional home console with 101.63 million units sold.
The GameCube is the lowest-selling Nintendo console in this table, with 21.74 million units sold.
Best Selling PlayStation Consoles: Top 5 Best Selling PlayStation Consoles
| BEST SELLING PLAYSTATION GAMES CONSOLES OF ALL TIME (LATEST AVAILABLE SALES FIGURES – JUNE 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | Units sold in millions | ||
| 1 | PlayStation 2 | 04/03/2000 | 160 |
| 2 | *PlayStation 4 | 15/11/2013 | 117.2 |
| 3 | PlayStation | 03/12/1994 | 102.4 |
| 4 | *PlayStation 5 | 12/11/2020 | 93.7 |
| 5 | PlayStation 3 | 11/11/2006 | 87.5 |
| 6 | PlayStation Portable | 12/12/2004 | 82.5 |
| 7 | PlayStation Vita | 17/12/2011 | 14 |
| *Production status ongoing so units sold is subject to change | |||
The PlayStation 2 remains Sony’s best-selling console and the best-selling games console of all time, with more than 160 million units sold worldwide.
The PlayStation 4 is Sony’s second best-selling console, with 117.2 million units sold, followed by the original PlayStation on 102.4 million units.
The PlayStation 5 has now sold 93.7 million units, placing it fourth among PlayStation consoles and ahead of the PlayStation 3, which sold 87.5 million units.
Sony’s PlayStation Portable remains the company’s best-selling handheld console, with 82.5 million units sold. The PlayStation Vita sold 14 million units.
Best Selling Xbox Consoles
| BEST SELLING XBOX GAMES CONSOLES OF ALL TIME (LATEST AVAILABLE SALES FIGURES – JUNE 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release date | Units sold in millions | ||
| 1 | Xbox 360 | 22/11/2005 | 85 |
| 2 | Xbox One | 22/11/2013 | 58 |
| 3 | *Xbox Series X/S | 10/11/2020 | 33.5 |
| 4 | Xbox | 15/11/2001 | 21 |
| *Production status ongoing so units sold is subject to change | |||
The Xbox 360 remains Microsoft’s best-selling console, with an estimated 85 million units sold worldwide.
The Xbox One ranks second among Xbox consoles with 58 million units sold, followed by the Xbox Series X/S family on an estimated 33.5 million units.
Microsoft no longer regularly publishes official console sales figures, so Xbox hardware totals are based on industry estimates.
The Xbox Series X/S has now surpassed the original Xbox, which sold 21 million units, but remains 24.5 million units behind the Xbox One and 51.5 million units behind the Xbox 360.
What Was the First Ever Video Game Console?
The Magnavox Odyssey is widely regarded as the first home video game console. Released in 1972, it sold around 350,000 units worldwide.
While modest by modern standards, the Odyssey laid the foundations for a gaming industry that would later produce consoles such as the Atari 2600 (30 million units sold), Nintendo Switch (155.92 million units sold) and PlayStation 2 (more than 160 million units sold).
SellCell Forecast: How Could the All-Time Console Rankings Change Between 2026 and 2030?
Based on current sales trajectories, the Nintendo Switch appears the most likely candidate to challenge the PlayStation 2’s long-standing sales record.
The Switch currently stands at 155.92 million units sold, placing it just 4.08 million units behind the PlayStation 2’s total of 160 million units. If Nintendo continues supporting the console alongside the Switch 2, it could become the first system to surpass the PlayStation 2’s all-time record.
The PlayStation 5 is also expected to continue climbing the rankings. Having already sold 93.7 million units, the PS5 has overtaken the PlayStation 3 and now sits just 8.7 million units behind the original PlayStation’s 102.4 million sales total.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S family remains on an estimated 33.5 million units sold. Based on current trends, it appears unlikely to challenge the Xbox 360’s lifetime total of 85 million units.
SellCell’s projections are based on how previous console generations performed at comparable stages of their lifecycle.
| Console | Current Sales | SellCell 2030 Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | 155.92m | 165–170m |
| PlayStation 2 | 160m | 160m |
| Nintendo DS | 154.02m | 154.02m |
| Game Boy / Game Boy Color | 118.69m | 118.69m |
| PlayStation 4 | 117.2m | 117.2m |
| PlayStation 5 | 93.7m | 135–145m |
| Xbox 360 | 85m | 85m |
| Xbox Series X/S | 33.5m | 45–55m |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | 19.86m | 90–120m |
Rather than attempting to predict annual sales, SellCell modelled likely end-of-lifecycle sales ranges by comparing each console’s current sales position with the lifetime performance of previous console generations.
SellCell Forecast Methodology
These projections are based on current sales figures, historical console sales performance and expected console lifecycle trends, using previous console generations as benchmarks for potential lifetime sales.
For reference, the forecast ranges were derived as follows:
- Nintendo Switch: Current sales stand at 155.92 million units. Although annual sales have slowed significantly, adding a further 10–15 million units over the remainder of its lifecycle would take the Switch to approximately 165–170 million units, allowing it to surpass the PlayStation 2.
- PlayStation 5: Current sales stand at 93.7 million units. The PlayStation 4 finished on 117.2 million units, and Sony’s continued support of the PS5 suggests a further 40–50 million lifetime sales is achievable, resulting in a forecast range of 135–145 million units.
- Xbox Series X/S: Current sales are estimated at 33.5 million units. Given that the Xbox One finished on approximately 58 million units and Microsoft’s increasing focus on Game Pass and platform services, an additional 10–20 million units appears a reasonable long-term projection, resulting in a forecast range of 45–55 million units.
- Nintendo Switch 2: The forecast is based on Nintendo’s historical hardware performance. The Wii sold 101.63 million units, while both the Nintendo DS and original Switch exceeded 150 million units. This produces a conservative range of 90–120 million units by 2030.
- PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Game Boy/Game Boy Color, PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360: These consoles have completed their commercial lifecycles and are therefore treated as static totals.
These estimates are based on current sales trends and are intended to show how the all-time rankings could change by 2030.
PlayStation 2: The Best Selling Console, Ever
More than two decades after its release, the PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling games console of all time, with more than 160 million units sold worldwide.
The PS2 sits ahead of the Nintendo Switch (155.92 million units), Nintendo DS (154.02 million units), Game Boy/Game Boy Color (118.69 million units), PlayStation 4 (117.2 million units) and original PlayStation (102.4 million units), making it the only console in history to surpass 160 million sales.
Nintendo’s Switch has become the closest challenger to Sony’s long-standing record. Since launching in 2017, the Switch has sold 155.92 million units and overtaken the Nintendo DS (154.02 million units) to become Nintendo’s best-selling console ever.
With just 4.08 million units separating the Switch and the PlayStation 2, Nintendo’s hybrid console is closer than any system has ever come to taking the top spot in the all-time rankings.
Conclusion
The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling games console ever released, with more than 160 million units sold worldwide. However, Nintendo’s Switch has narrowed the gap significantly, reaching 155.92 million sales and becoming Nintendo’s best-selling console in the process.
Nintendo now holds three of the top four positions in the all-time console rankings through the Switch (155.92 million units), Nintendo DS (154.02 million units) and Game Boy/Game Boy Color (118.69 million units).
With just 4.08 million units separating the Switch and the PlayStation 2, the race for the number one spot remains one of the biggest stories in gaming hardware.
About SellCell
SellCell is the US no.1 tech price comparison service, allowing its customers to sell old tech at the best prices available, as well as buy refurbished tech at a fraction of the price. So, if you are looking to sell your old PlayStation to pay towards a new PS5, then SellCell has the certified buyers ready to take your old console off your hands. Likewise, if you want to upgrade to the Switch OLED, you can sell your old Nintendo Switch and get some cash towards a new game. Or, if your Microsoft console is no longer doing it for you any more, you can sell your Xbox and make some cash so you can jump ship to PlayStation… if you dare.
SellCell is backed by its best price promise, so if you find a better price selling for your tech elsewhere, SellCell will give you double the difference.
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