Switch vs PS5 vs Series X: Console & Game sales numbers [Sep 2024]

Microsoft and Sony have positioned the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 (PS5) as next-gen gaming consoles with similar technical specs and selling price. The Nintendo Switch entered the market in March 2017, predating both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, which launched worldwide in November 2020.

While the Switch and Xbox Series X|S had simultaneous global releases, the PlayStation 5’s launch was spread out over a two-week period. So let’s find out which console has managed to win over fans by getting high sales for the platform. You can also check out our article on 7 reasons why Xbox Series X is better than PlayStation 5.

VGChartz has gathered the latest sales numbers for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S Worldwide. The data is up to 05Oct2024. Weekly hardware sales estimates are derived from retail sampling and regional trend analysis. These estimates are generally accurate within 10% and regularly cross-referenced with official manufacturer shipment data and regional market trackers like Famitsu and NPD.

Switch Dominates the Worldwide Sales Numbers

Analyzing the market share over the past 47 months, the Nintendo Switch maintains a significant lead with a 46.1% share. The PlayStation 5 follows with a 36.3% share, while the Xbox Series X|S holds a 17.6% share.

The total game console sales numbers are not very unpredictable as the Sony has sold 61.94M units of PS5 and Microsoft has sold 30.14M units of Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch sold 143.49M units.

Over the past 47 months, the Nintendo Switch has maintained a significant lead in global sales over both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. With 16.89 million more units sold than the PS5 and 48.69 million more than the Xbox Series X|S, the Switch has proven its enduring popularity. The PS5, while trailing the Switch, has still managed to outsell the Xbox Series X|S by almost double, 31.80 million units.

When we compare the sales numbers of gaming consoles (excluding handheld consoles), we can see a similar trend with historical data. Sony and Nintendo make up the top five most popular consoles. Similar to the last five years, Microsoft has struggled to compete with the popularity of Sony and Nintendo. If we combine the sales figures of all devices, Sony comes out on top with 527M followed by Nintendo with 389M and Microsoft in the last place with 173M devices sold. Note that we have excluded the hand-held gaming consoles (DS, 3DS, GameBoy, PSP, etc) for the purposes of this comparison.

Sony’s strong focus on exclusive titles like “God of War,” “Horizon,” and “Uncharted” has consistently captivated players. Additionally, PlayStation’s marketing prowess and early dominance in the console market solidified its position. Nintendo’s unique family-friendly appeal, iconic franchises like “Mario” and “Zelda,” and innovative hardware like the Switch have also contributed to its enduring popularity. While Xbox has made significant strides with Game Pass and powerful hardware, its lack of a strong exclusive lineup and less established brand recognition have hindered its ability to fully compete with Sony and Nintendo.

Most Popular Video Games

For the last five years, the best selling global video games are listed below as well.  Notably, Nintendo dominates the list with four entries, including the top-selling game, “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” which has shipped an impressive 45.85 million units. This success highlights Nintendo’s ability to cater to a wide audience, particularly families.

Sony Interactive Entertainment also has a strong presence, with three titles in the top eight. “Elden Ring” stands out as a critical and commercial success, shipping over 25 million units. This demonstrates Sony’s commitment to high-quality, single-player experiences.

Rank	Game	Publisher	Total Shipped (Million)	Release Date
1	Animal Crossing: New Horizons	Nintendo	45.85	20th Mar 20
2	Elden Ring	Bandai Namco Entertainment	25	25th Feb 22
3	The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom	Nintendo	20.8	12th May 23
4	Super Mario Bros. Wonder	Nintendo	13.44	20th Oct 23
5	Ghost of Tsushima	Sony Interactive Entertainment	13	17th Jul 20
6	Splatoon 3	Nintendo	11.96	09th Sep 22
7	The Last of Us Part II	Sony Interactive Entertainment	10.3	19th Jun 20
8	Horizon: Forbidden West	Sony Interactive Entertainment	8.4	18th Feb 22
9	Resident Evil 4 (2023)	Capcom	8	24th Mar 23
10	Ghost of Tsushima	Sony Interactive Entertainment	8	17th Jul 20
11	Kirby and the Forgotten Land	Nintendo	7.52	25th Mar 22
12	Final Fantasy VII Remake	Square Enix	7	10th Apr 20
13	Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty	CD Projekt Red Studio	5	26th Sep 23
14	Final Fantasy VII Remake	Square Enix	5	10th Apr 20
15	Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics	Nintendo	4.64	05th Jun 20
16	Street Fighter 6	Capcom	4	02nd Jun 23
17	Elden Ring	Bandai Namco Entertainment	3.64	25th Feb 22
18	Pikmin 4	Nintendo	3.48	21st Jul 23
19	Elden Ring	Bandai Namco Entertainment	3.04	25th Feb 22
20	Final Fantasy XVI	Square Enix	3	22nd Jun 23
21	Elden Ring	Bandai Namco Entertainment	2.67	25th Feb 22
22	Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course	Studio MDHR	2	30th Jun 22
23	Xenoblade Chronicles 3	Nintendo	1.86	29th Jul 22
24	Alan Wake 2	Epic Games	1.3	27th Oct 23
25	Bayonetta 3	Nintendo	1.07	28th Oct 22
26	Cities: Skylines II	Paradox Interactive	1	24th Oct 23
27	DREDGE	Team17	1	30th Mar 23
28	Hades	Supergiant Games	1	17th Sep 20
29	Granblue Fantasy: Versus	Xseed Games	1	03rd Mar 20
30	13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim	Atlus	0.5	22nd Sep 20