New Regional Records
Despite the claims from some user online that the console market is dying, Mat Piscatella, the Executive Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana has come forward to reveal that the Nintendo Switch is on the verge of overtaking the PlayStation 2 for being one of the best-selling video game consoles in the United States.
While specific sales numbers for the PS2 in the Americas in unknown, if this information is true, based on recent financial reports from Nintendo listing sales numbers for the Nintendo Switch in the region being ~55.17 million, we can assume that the PS2 sold ~56.27 million units. It should be noted however that if handheld consoles are included, the Nintendo DS would still be the reigning king with sales numbers of ~59.93 million.
Based on current sales figures, the Switch has a high likelihood of being able to overtake the PS2 for regional sales. For total sales across all regions however, the Switch still has some ways to go. According to Jim Ryan, the former CEO of PlayStation, the PS2 sold around 160 million units worldwide during its lifespan. As of June 30th, 2024, the Nintendo Switch was reported by Nintendo to have sold 143.42 million units.
Though the sales gap is significant, especially when one remembers that a Nintendo Switch successor is on the horizon for further announcements in 2025, all of these sales have occurred while the console is still full price. Should a new system by released and cause a price drop for the Switch, it’s possible that this could be enough of a push to challenge the PS2 for its throne.
Only time will tell if the Switch will be able to cement its place in history as the best-selling console not just for the Americas, but the entire planet.
