Numbers don't lie, but they sure do tell a wild story. If you’ve been following the console wars lately, you know the vibe has shifted. Hard. We aren't just looking at dusty historical charts anymore; we're watching a literal changing of the guard in real-time.
The PS2 Crown is Finally Wobbling
For twenty years, the PlayStation 2 has been the untouchable king. 160 million units. That’s the magic number Sony officially confirmed before the factory lights went dark. For a long time, it felt like no one would ever touch that record. The Wii tried. The PS4 got close. But then came a little tablet with kickstands and detachable controllers that changed everything.
The top selling video games consoles list is basically a battle for the soul of gaming right now. As of early 2026, the original Nintendo Switch is sitting right on the edge of history. It’s currently hovering around 156 to 158 million units sold globally. Honestly, it’s a coin flip whether it will officially pass the PS2 by the end of this year. Sony fans point to the PS2's legacy as a cheap DVD player that snuck into living rooms, while Nintendo fans argue the Switch did it purely on the strength of Mario and Zelda. Both are right.
Why the Switch is Refusing to Die
You’d think with the Nintendo Switch 2 already out and flying off shelves—it just passed 10 million units in record time—the old model would be e-waste. Nope.
Nintendo is keeping the original Switch Lite around as the "budget" entry point. It’s smart. Parents are still buying them for kids, and the secondary market is massive. Even in 2026, people are still picking up the OLED model because it’s cheaper than the next-gen hardware.
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The Current Heavy Hitters: PS5 vs. Xbox Series
Moving away from the hall of fame, let's look at what’s actually under most people's TVs right now. The PlayStation 5 has completely run away with this generation.
- PlayStation 5: Recently crossed the 85 million mark. It’s outperforming the PS4’s original pace.
- Xbox Series X/S: Still struggling to find its footing, sitting somewhere around 34 million.
It’s a weird gap. Microsoft has basically stopped caring about "consoles sold" as their main metric. They want you on Game Pass. Whether you play on a PC, a handheld, or a fridge, they just want that monthly subscription. But in terms of raw hardware sitting in living rooms? Sony is winning the "box" war by a ratio of almost 3-to-1 in some regions.
The Handheld Revolution
We can't talk about sales without mentioning the Steam Deck and its clones. While Valve doesn't release daily sales data like a public utility, analysts estimate the Steam Deck family has moved well over 5-6 million units. It’s a niche compared to the 150 million club, sure. But it’s a niche that changed the "pro" gaming market. It forced Sony and Microsoft to rethink their "home-only" strategy.
Top Selling Video Games Consoles: The All-Time Leaderboard (2026 Update)
If you looked at a chart today, here is what the "all-time" heavyweights look like in terms of sheer units moved:
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- PlayStation 2: 160 Million (Still the king, for now).
- Nintendo Switch: ~157 Million (Closing the gap every single day).
- Nintendo DS: 154.02 Million (The dual-screen legend).
- Game Boy / Color: 118.69 Million.
- PlayStation 4: 117.2 Million.
- PlayStation 1: 102.4 Million.
- Wii: 101.6 Million.
See a pattern? It’s basically a two-horse race between Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft’s best showing ever was the Xbox 360 at about 85 million, and even that didn't crack the top five.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Numbers
Everyone loves to scream "dead console" when a new one comes out. That’s just not how it works. The PS2 sold millions of units after the PS3 was already out because it was cheap and had a massive library.
We’re seeing the same thing with the Switch. Even though the Switch 2 is the "it" item of 2026, the original hardware is still moving units in emerging markets. Price drops matter more than teraflops when you’re trying to hit that 160 million milestone.
Actionable Insights for 2026
If you’re looking to jump into a new system or add to your collection, the sales data actually tells you exactly what to do.
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First, don't sleep on the original Switch. If the Switch 2 is too expensive ($450 is the current going rate), the original OLED model is the best value in gaming right now. The library is "finished," meaning you have thousands of polished games to choose from without waiting for patches.
Second, PS5 is the "safe" bet. Because it has such a massive lead in sales, developers prioritize it. You’ll always have a healthy player base for multiplayer games and the best optimization for third-party titles.
Third, watch the handheld space. The "Top Selling" list of the future isn't just going to be boxes that plug into TVs. The market is moving toward portability. If you value flexibility, the Switch 2 or a high-end PC handheld is where the industry is heading.
The console wars aren't about who has the most "power" anymore. They’re about who can stay relevant the longest. Right now, Nintendo is proving that a good idea from 2017 can still dominate the world in 2026.