What is the best-selling video game console?
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling video game console of all time, with more than 160 million units sold. The Nintendo Switch is second, having passed the Nintendo DS in early 2026.
Sony's PlayStation 2 was released in 2000 and sold until 2013. It had a huge library of games, could play DVDs and was affordable, making it popular worldwide. Hits included Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Gran Turismo 3 and Final Fantasy X.
The Nintendo Switch, launched in 2017, can be used both as a home console and as a handheld. In early 2026, Nintendo announced it had sold about 155 million units, overtaking the Nintendo DS to become Nintendo's best-selling system ever. Its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, launched in June 2025 and sold quickly.
Other big sellers
Other top-selling consoles include the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, about 119 million combined, the original PlayStation, about 102 million, and the PlayStation 4, about 117 million. The Wii sold more than 100 million.
Did You Know?
The PlayStation 2's built-in DVD player helped boost sales at a time when DVD players were still expensive.