Best Selling Consoles of All Time

Best Selling Consoles, how gaming’s greatest machines shaped entertainment history

Best selling consoles, video game consoles have transformed from niche living-room gadgets into global cultural icons. Over the past five decades, companies like Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, and Sega have battled for dominance in what is often called the “console wars.” But while innovation, graphics, and exclusive games often grab headlines, nothing defines a system’s success more clearly than its sales figures.

This article takes a deep dive into the best-selling consoles of all time, examining not just how many units were sold but also why each console became a runaway success. We’ll explore their technological breakthroughs, iconic game libraries, marketing strategies, and enduring cultural impact.

Criteria for the List

When defining the “best-selling consoles,” we focus on:

Total lifetime hardware sales (as reported by manufacturers and industry analysts)

Worldwide reach across regions (North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond)

Cultural impact and legacy beyond raw numbers (influence on game design, industry direction, and player nostalgia)

Both home consoles and handheld consoles are included, since handhelds like the Nintendo DS or Game Boy family rival (and sometimes surpass) home consoles in sales.

10. PlayStation Portable (PSP) – ~82 Million Units

Released in 2004, the PlayStation Portable (PSP) marked Sony’s ambitious entry into the handheld gaming market, which had been dominated by Nintendo for years.

Key Features: A beautiful widescreen LCD, multimedia functions (music, movies, internet), and console-quality graphics in your pocket.

Notable Games: God of War: Chains of Olympus, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.

Impact: While the PSP never outsold Nintendo’s handhelds, it built a loyal fanbase, expanded portable gaming beyond kids, and set the stage for Sony’s future handheld experiments.

With around 82 million units sold, the PSP ranks as one of the best-selling handhelds of all time.

9. Game Boy Advance – ~81–85 Million Units

Launched in 2001, the Game Boy Advance (GBA) was Nintendo’s follow-up to the Game Boy Color, boasting a 32-bit processor and a massive library of games.

Design Evolution: From the original horizontal GBA to the clamshell Game Boy Advance SP with a backlit screen, Nintendo perfected handheld ergonomics.

Notable Games: Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Metroid Fusion, and countless others.

Impact: The GBA bridged generations, offering both new titles and backward compatibility with Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges.

Its robust sales reaffirmed Nintendo’s dominance in the handheld market, even against the rising PSP.

8. Xbox 360 – ~85 Million Units

The Xbox 360, released in 2005, was Microsoft’s second console and a defining system of the seventh generation.

Key Features: HD graphics, Xbox Live online service, achievements system, and multimedia integration.

Notable Games: Halo 3, Gears of War, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect.

Challenges: The infamous “Red Ring of Death” hardware failure tarnished its early years, costing Microsoft over $1 billion in repairs.

Impact: Despite setbacks, Xbox 360 popularized online multiplayer on consoles and helped cement Microsoft as a permanent rival to Sony and Nintendo.

It remains Microsoft’s best-selling console to date until the Xbox One era came close.

7. PlayStation 3 – ~87–88 Million Units

Sony’s PlayStation 3 (2006) had a rocky launch due to its high price and complicated architecture but eventually found success.

Key Features: Blu-ray disc drive, powerful Cell processor, PlayStation Network, free online multiplayer (initially).

Notable Games: The Last of Us, Uncharted 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet.

Turnaround: Though sales started slow, price cuts and a stronger game library propelled the PS3 to nearly 90 million units by the end of its life.

It taught Sony valuable lessons in pricing and developer relations, shaping the far smoother PS4 era.

6. Nintendo Wii – ~101 Million Units

Released in 2006, the Nintendo Wii revolutionized gaming by introducing motion controls that appealed to casual and family audiences worldwide.

Key Features: Wii Remote motion controller, easy-to-learn gameplay, Virtual Console service for retro titles.

Notable Games: Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Impact: The Wii became a cultural phenomenon, outselling both the PS3 and Xbox 360 despite weaker hardware. It attracted non-traditional gamers, from children to grandparents, and dominated living rooms worldwide.

With over 101 million units sold, the Wii remains Nintendo’s best-selling home console.

5. PlayStation – ~102–104 Million Units

The original Sony PlayStation (PS1), launched in 1994, changed the industry forever.

Key Features: CD-based media, 3D polygon graphics, massive third-party support.

Notable Games: Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, Resident Evil, Crash Bandicoot.

Impact: The PlayStation became the first console to sell over 100 million units, dethroning Nintendo and Sega while ushering gaming into the mainstream.

It marked Sony’s arrival as a powerhouse and redefined what home consoles could achieve.

4. PlayStation 4 – ~117–118 Million Units

The PlayStation 4 (2013) solidified Sony’s dominance after the PS3’s rocky era.

Key Features: Powerful hardware, share button for social media, robust online infrastructure.

Notable Games: God of War (2018), Marvel’s Spider-Man, Bloodborne, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Impact: The PS4 enjoyed minimal competition early on, as Microsoft stumbled with the Xbox One’s DRM policies. Its strong exclusives and affordability propelled it past 117 million units.

It stands as one of the most beloved modern consoles, still widely used even into the PlayStation 5 era.

3. Game Boy & Game Boy Color – ~118–120 Million Units

Nintendo’s original Game Boy (1989) and its successor, the Game Boy Color (1998), sold a combined 118 million units, making them one of the most successful gaming platforms ever.

Key Features: Compact design, long battery life, accessible price, enormous third-party support.

Notable Games: Tetris, Pokémon Red & Blue, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

Impact: The Game Boy cemented handheld gaming as a global phenomenon and made Pokémon a cultural juggernaut.

Even with primitive graphics, its portability and addictive library ensured dominance throughout the 1990s.

2. Nintendo Switch – ~139–140 Million Units (and climbing)

Launched in 2017, the Nintendo Switch blurred the line between home and handheld gaming with its hybrid design.

Key Features: Dockable console/handheld, detachable Joy-Cons, portability with console-quality games.

Notable Games: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Impact: The Switch revitalized Nintendo after the Wii U’s failure, becoming a global hit across demographics.

As of 2025, it has surpassed 139 million units, making it the second best-selling console of all time — and sales continue to rise.

1. PlayStation 2 – ~155–160 Million Units

At the very top sits the legendary PlayStation 2 (PS2), released in 2000.

Key Features: DVD playback (a huge selling point in the early 2000s), backward compatibility with PS1, massive third-party support.

Notable Games: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Final Fantasy X, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, Kingdom Hearts.

Impact: The PS2 wasn’t just a game console — it was an entertainment hub, a DVD player, and a cultural icon.

With over 155 million units sold, it remains the best-selling video game console of all time, a record unlikely to be broken soon.

Honorable Mentions

Nintendo DS Family – ~154 million units, technically #2 if handhelds are considered separately.

Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) – ~49 million units, a 16-bit legend.

Sega Genesis / Mega Drive – ~30–35 million units, kept Sega in the fight during the 1990s.

Xbox One – ~58 million units, successful but overshadowed by the PS4.

Why Console Sales Matter

Raw numbers aren’t everything, but they do reveal trends:

Brand trust matters – Sony and Nintendo dominate because players trust their ecosystems.

Game libraries drive sales – Exclusive titles (Pokémon, God of War, Mario) sell hardware.

Timing & price strategy – Affordable DVD playback made the PS2 a family purchase; the Switch’s hybrid nature met modern lifestyles.

Cultural relevance – Consoles succeed when they become more than hardware — when they’re lifestyle products.

The Future of Console Sales

With cloud gaming, digital libraries, and subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, hardware sales may eventually decline in importance. Yet for now, physical consoles remain the heart of gaming culture.

As of 2025, the PlayStation 2 still reigns supreme, but the Nintendo Switch is hot on its heels, and the PlayStation 5 continues climbing fast. The next decade will determine whether hybrid systems, VR integrations, or cloud platforms redefine what a “console” even means.

Final Thoughts

From the humble monochrome Game Boy to the groundbreaking PS2 and hybrid Nintendo Switch, these consoles not only sold millions but also shaped how generations of people play, connect, and imagine.

The best-selling consoles of all time aren’t just plastic boxes with circuits — they are cultural landmarks. They’ve brought joy to billions, influenced film and music, and created communities that span decades.

Whether you grew up with the Wii Remote, a DualShock controller, or a Poké Ball cartridge, one truth is clear: video game consoles have left a legacy that will endure long after their production lines stop.