Nintendo Switch Outsells PlayStation’s Most Successful Console

In a recent post on BlueSky, industry reporter Mat Piscatella confirms that the Nintendo Switch has outsold the PlayStation 2, Sony’s most successful console to date, in lifetime sales in the U.S. market. Crossing over 46 million units sold as of November 2024, the Switch has become the second-most successful console in the region.

Mat follows up on this news in another post, stating that the only console with bigger lifetime sales than the Nintendo Switch in the U.S. is the Nintendo DS, with almost 58 million total units sold. However, it is worth noting that the PlayStation 2 still has higher lifetime sales than the aforementioned Nintendo consoles worldwide, with nearly 160 million units sold.

The Switch Continues To Dominate The Western Market

Despite having dated hardware, this is a huge milestone for both the Switch and Nintendo. Although having a system for cutting-edge PC games or a newer console does mean a more fluid gameplay experience, Nintendo prioritizes delivering fun first-party titles, and it’s clearly paying off. The Switch was also the second best-selling consoles this year, trailing behind only the PlayStation 5.

Nintendo has explicitly stated that they don’t have any plans to release the Switch 2 by the end of March 2025, so it seems that the only way for gamers to enjoy Nintendo titles is with the Switch. Some players are also speculating that the Switch surpassed the PlayStation 2 only because of lackluster competition.

Not only does Nintendo hold a monopoly in the portable gaming market (except the Steam Deck), but being eight years old with no successor means users must buy it to enter that gaming space. The community heavily criticizes the Switch for its pitiful hardware specs, which is why they opt for a high-end PC or top-of-the-line console for higher FPS and visual fidelity.

Still, the numbers speak for themselves, and this achievement may finally be enough to encourage Nintendo to make another groundbreaking console. If not, then their catalog of games isn’t stopping anytime soon; they’ve carried the company for years at this point, so fans are eager to see what other immersive experiences Nintendo crafts in the coming months.

The Nintendo Switch is a handheld gaming console released on March 13, 2017, and is currently available for $299.99 on various hardware outlets and Nintendo’s own website.