The Nintendo Switch has outsold the PlayStation 3 as the lifetime sales of the console reaches a whopping total of 89 million units.
For comparison, the PlayStation 3 sold 87.4 million units during its lifetime. It was previously the 7th best selling console ever before the Switch overtook it. Nintendo boasts that sales of the Switch don’t seem to be slowing down, either. The company sold 4.45 million units in the first quarter of 2021 alone.
Bear in mind that it took the PS3 around 7 years to sell as many units as it did. Nintendo has managed to overtake that achievement in half the time. An impressive feat, indeed.
However, Nintendo is now competing with itself for the next rung in the best selling console ladder. The Nintendo Wii is sitting in sixth position with just over 100 million sales. If the Switch keeps on selling as well as it is, that milestone will be overtaken by the end of the 2021 financial year.
That said, the Nintendo Switch is still a ways away from the top spot of best selling console of all time. That title still remains firmly in the hands of the PlayStation 2, selling a whopping 155 million units during its lifetime.
Why is the Switch selling so well?
The success of the Nintendo Switch is likely down to its strong lineup of first party games that can only be played on the Switch platform. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains one of Nintendo’s best selling titles, alongside Animal Crossing New Horizons and Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
Later this year, the Switch OLED will join the original console and the Switch Lite in Nintendo’s hardware lineup. Sporting a bigger, brighter screen and some improved quality of life features, it’ll likely give the Switch sales an even bigger boost.
As for the other consoles on the market right now, the PlayStation 5 is also selling incredibly well, despite the limited stock issues. Sony recently announced that the new-gen console has sold over 10 million units since it launched in November last year. The Xbox Series X|S is trailing behind slightly, but that’s likely due to Microsoft’s continued focus on subscription services rather than hardware.
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Featured Image Credit: Nintendo