The Nintendo Switch has been an undeniable powerhouse of a console, but it’s just made an unexpectedly huge stir in the realm of video game hardware sales. Market research company Circana’s executive director and video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch surpassed the PlayStation 2 “in US lifetime hardware unit sales” in November 2024.
The console that is still in the number one sales spot in the US is the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo Switch’s strong start has given it the momentum to surpass the PlayStation 2’s US sales, but the Switch’s overall sales have been on the decline according to Piscatella, so it’s not clear if it can go the distance to catch up to the DS. When asked by a BlueSky user how close the Switch is to the sales of its handheld grandparent, Piscatella responded with “Several million away. So, not very.”
As Switch sales start to dwindle, partly due to the hardware’s age and partly due to its highly anticipated follow-up console, it’s uncertain whether the Switch will catch up to and pass the PlayStation 2’s international sales. As part of Sony’s 30th anniversary of the PlayStation console series, the company released the statement that the PlayStation 2 sold over 160 million consoles “worldwide since 2000.” Nintendo, on the other hand, unveiled in its recent financial results that the Switch has sold over 146 million units worldwide. The PlayStation 2 was released 17 years ahead of the Switch, so the fact that the system could catch up in the US is impressive all the same.
All the while, the Nintendo DS acts as the barrier between the Switch and the PlayStation 2, with over 154 million units sold worldwide. While it’s unlikely but possible for the Switch to continue to break records after the release of the “Switch 2,” we’re less interested in whether the Switch can outsell the DS and PlayStation 2 at this point, and more interested in whether the “Switch 2” will be able to fill the big shoes of its predecessor.
Published: Dec 18, 2024 02:29 pm