Switch Hardware Sales Beat Xbox Series X|S And PS5 Combined, Unsurprisingly

Will continue like this until the new consoles actually get a lot of steady stock

Makes sense, you know Because you can actually get one.

I wonder how the Switch Pro will perform if that releases at a moment when the competing consoles will become more properly available.

If the Switch Pro is even real of course.

Wait, there's a Playstation 5?

despite having a ps5 now I keep going back to breath of the wild, it's strange

I love this. I know I won't be getting another company's console for a good long while. The Nintendo Switch has everything I need currently.

I'm just not feeling any buzz for next gen. Weird.

I cant get hold of a Series X or PS5 and have been trying since launch. I did grab a Series S though to tide me over until I can get hold of the other systems.

The Switches are readily available which will definitely help sales at present but this will likely drop off once curewnt gen I readily available and new games start dropping. Let's see what E3 brings in term of PS5/XsX game announcements.

I love both my switch and ps5 😊

Don't have a PS4, PS5 or any Xbox and don't care. The Switch has me more than covered for my gaming needs. I love at night my wife will turn on the TV for us to watch a game or a show, and I can pull the Switch off and play some FF VII or Fez, or on the weekends, I can leave it docked and dive into Bloodstaind or Immortals Fenyx Rising. And other times, I can play some Tetris 99 or Pac-Man from the Namco Museum. It revived my interest in video games and has been perfect for my current lifestyle.

I've been trying since launch to buy an Xbox series X. I will wait until i can get one from a retailer, but hate to say- the scalpers won.

@Yosher It's a thing. Bloomberg wouldn't keep talking about it if it wasn't.

and the switch just keeps pumping out those great games in quality and in quanity. cannot wait for the E3.

Tbh they really don't need to make a Switch Pro for at least two years. I thought that we would get one around the time of the PS5 and Xbox SX, but nothing. Before, I was expecting a confirmation, perhaps during this upcoming E3, but looking at the numbers makes me think otherwise.

It's going to stay like this until the stock situation for both consoles get better and especially when more exclusive software starts to come out since at the moment PS5 really only has Demon's Souls and Returnal with Ratchet & Clank coming in a few weeks, while Xbox has basically nothing.

Switch outselling both consoles when it's been on the market and readily available for about 4 years is really not surprising

Makes you wonder how much of the shortage discrepancy may stem from the factor that Switch is the only Gen 9 console using relatively older and thus longer "established" and stocked components.

If so, that laughter you're hearing from somewhere above must be Yokoi-sensei.

@TheFrenchiestFry some might smirk at this reasoning, though, after Switch was often rationalized as outselling pastgen platforms BECAUSE "they're long in the market and readily available and everyone who wanted them has long got them".😏😄

@Dragwhite

Its not strange, Its a better game than anything released on PS5/Xbox Sersies...

Not surprising. The Switch is still getting great games, at a pretty decent clip, and it’s readily available. The new generation is simply not that exciting, at the moment. I honestly see no reason to drop $500 on either console.

I see no reason why Switch can’t become Nintendo’s best selling console.

Imagine traveling back to late 2015 and showing this to someone who is hoping that more than 2 games release on the Wii U that week.

Both Sony and MS should have waited to release until they had secured their parts supply.

Irresponsible.

I have yet to see anything on the new consoles that compels me to want one. Even if they were in stock, I'm not sure I would bother yet. It's no surprise Switch is outselling everything else...it's pretty much the only option right now.

@coleman83 alledgedly never seen one for sale anywhere lol.

@Heavyarms55 I mean, I kind of agree with you, but then again, nobody predicted the pandemic or the chip shortage.

Six months since launch, I still can't simply go on Amazon and click "add to cart" for an XSX. I look forward to buying one in 2023 or whenever. And heaven forbid a Switch Pro were to ever be released. Scalpers and flippers must be licking their capitalist chops over the possibilities.

@ObeseChihuahua2 agree even car manufacturers cant get chips. never mind other companies. Thats why i cant see us getting switch pro anytime soon. Nintendo dont sell at a loss and the price and demand for chips will push it back or cancel it.

@ObeseChihuahua2 The shortage has been a problem for longer than that. It's more to do with mining crypocurrency than the pandemic.

It's not like major corporations like Sony and MS weren't aware of the situation.

@Fighter_Hayabusa how much did u cave in for? I will get one, but I am not going to jump through hoops to get one or pay over retail, especially when there are not many games that take advantage of the upgraded power.

@Snatcher,

The Switch is still in and out of stock, at many places in the U.K.

@Heavyarms55 Still, I think that it's unfair to say that it's completely Sony and Microsoft's faults that the next-gen consoles are impossible to find.

@Heavyarms55 Actually there was an interesting article on a tech site recently. It seems no one predicted the chip shortage at all.
All major companies expected there to be more than needed. People wouldnt be working, wouldnt have money for tech. They still stockpiled to make sure though. The interesting part was that not only did sales continue to FAR exceeded every and all trends and predicated sales.

It was really interesting but all the analysts in the industry predicted the same thing based on past models, which makes sense. But every last one of them admitted this was the exact opposite trend that should have happened.

super interesting to see that even the peoples whos job it is to predict this stuff were completely blown away by what actually happened.

@Heavyarms55 Wasnt their fault. nothing they could have done.

@UltimateOtaku91,

I think if the Switch gets near to it's 30 million or so target this year, then both the PS5 and Xbox Series X would have had a tough time keeping up with them, even if there was stock.

Actually, I'd say this was the exact opposite of "unsurprisingly".

Well yeah, new consoles, low production, few games, high cost, and a chip shortage. Should be simple enough to see why. As for me, well I have a switch and a gaming pc, should be enough for me for a while.

@earthinheritor,

And you also have to factor in the fact both the new generation consoles will be sold at a loss, so if both Sony and Microsoft figured there would be less available income, and also a lot of game projects suffering delays, why would they make loads of consoles available.

@Dragwhite

I'm playing Immortals on my PS5 and as much as a direct rip off it is of BOTW I like it better. No weapon breakage = much better game.

Hate the vaults as much as I hated the shrines in BOTW.

Who even enabled these scalpers in the first place? Sony, Microsoft, perhaps? I personally place the blame on the Previous President of the United States: Donald J. Trump! He saw that scalping was halted, and had to break them free to enable them again! So, he decided to let American Greed win, and the scalpers decided to do it for that Tax Cut for being part o the Wealthy Class! Wait until Joe Biden taxes them all to oblivion and back.

I'll be waiting at least a few years on next gen, I think. My backlog is massive, Switch/PS4/PC have access to pretty much everything I want, and I'm hoping Sony's Slim redesign of the PS5 won't be quite so ugly.

@RobotReptile Personally I think you're being far too forgiving. I think it's more likely that companies just didn't have contingency plans.

@earthinheritor Really? Such an article coming out after all these companies made all these mistakes strikes me as very... well timed.

Lots of companies hire folks to portray them in an overly positive light. Ask the oil companies. They're experts at fictional fabrication.

@nhSnork Switch is an 8th gen Console. Another reason the switch is outselling everything else is that most households have multiple Switches/Lites.

PS5 and XboxX will never sell. They're useless consoles. The eight console generation is the last and there will never be a ninth. We hit peak graphics long ago.

@GrailUK Probably because there's almost no next gen exclusive titles still, and those that are aren't killer apps.

@TheWingedAvenger is nt just about graphics. Look at The Medium, it's effectively running two game worlds side by side where your actions impact each one at the same time - that couldn't have been achieved with older tech.
I'm really intrigued to see what new game mechanics developers can get from the extra power available.

@Mr-Fuggles777 Switch could only be an 8th Gen console in a universe where Wii U never happened. The point about multiple units/models per household is legit, though.

@nhSnork The eighth generation of video game consoles began in 2012, and consists of four home video game consoles: the Wii U released in 2012, the PlayStation 4 family in 2013, the Xbox One family in 2013, and the Nintendo Switch in 2017.

Taken from Wikipedia but most other sites mirror the same view. In fairness the switch is pretty much just a repackaged wii-U anyway

@uptownsoul that's simply not true dude.

PS4 never outsold the switch for 24 months. MS held the longest consecutive months on top with 21 months from sales with 360 consoles.

Nintendo then broke that record with the switch. Not sure where you getting this PS4 outsold switch for 24 months data from.

No One should be surprised by these sales figures or seen this coming. When companies don't innovate they don't progress.

@rockodoodle

I didn't get a scalped system, nor will I. "I will wait until i can get one from a retailer...".

What I meant was that the scalpers were ridiculed and we all expected them to be sitting on systems they couldnt move after the holidays and they would end up losing money, but they havent. I'm certain they made a good profit.

Sometimes the bad guys win.

@electrolite77

I adore my PS5. It fixed all the little issues I had with the PS4.

@TheWingedAvenger

Uhm… no.

@UltimateOtaku91 Which will be Q2-3 2022. At the earliest.

And around that time Nintendo will release an updated Switch.

And about this new gen, well, it's graphically the smallest change from previous gen. Like ever. I have a Series X, with some Series X games. They absolutely look better than on the XBOX ONE. But all these games do still play on the XBOX ONE. It's more an XBOX ONE 2.0 than a new generation. PS5 vs PS4 is even a smaller step.

The Switch is the only truly next gen console. Being a console that goes seamlessly between TV and handheld gameplay. No other console does that.

Yet there’s a bunch of Nintendo cry babies bitching about a full priced wii port and a double priced amiibo. Nintendo is winning you Unemployed basement dwellers.

@Dragwhite I played the hell out of Demon Souls, and haven't touched my PS5 since MHW came out! Thinking of selling (not scalping) it.....

@sanderev I agree I think we've got to a point where graphics can't really get that much better and I'm fine with that as being a nintnedo gamer for years, but you could say the same about the Nintendo switch and wii u, the switches graphics are the tiniest bit better than the wiiu

@UltimateOtaku91 Graphics aren't the main focus for Nintendo. Nintendo wants to sell fun gameplay. And sure graphics can be a part of that.

The Switch is a clear improvement in selling gameplay and fun. Especially over the Wii U with it's strange controller.

For MS and Sony it's all about the best graphics. The most beautiful pictures and trailers. With the best of ray tracing. But the point is, ray tracing is great. But you forget that it's there after 5 minutes of playing the actual game. And then it falls to the gameplay. And then is every FPS the same. Every horror game the same. Even the default colour scheme of these games all fall into dark and muddy.

I often go back to watching reveal trailers of the current 3 consoles. Where the PS5 and XBOX Series both focus on image quality, they still look like PS4 and XBOX ONE games. But prettier.
If you look at the Switch reveal trailer... Well it's an instant of woah. That looks like great fun! And it is.

@Mr-Fuggles777 lumping Wii U and Switch into one generation (along with the glaring omission of two actual Gen 8 consoles from the list /)_-) ) doesn't make sense regardless of how many folks and sites attempt to parrot it. Such leaps of logic could easily land us as far as "Wii the 6th gen console", too. And calling Switch "a repackaged Wii U"... I can't even calculate the sheer amount of common knowledge one would have to lack or deliberately ignore in order to make such a claim unironically. 😕

@sanderev pretty much. The problem with aesthetic enhancements is that you go through that initially ooh and wow and then... you forget about them unless they're malfunctioning. There's not much "getting spoiled" either; Push Square folks like to counter 4K discussions with "people said the same of HD", but as a matter of fact, I can go back from Switch to 3DS, NDS and PSP resolutions any time, and they will look every bit as serviceable as they were before Switch's 720p+ advent.

On the other hand, most of Nintendo's "gimmicks" these days tend to incarnate in distinct ways where you consciously use them, remain aware what kind of experience they're helping you achieve and are not uncommonly left idly fantasizing where else they could be implemented down the road. To some extent, even Wii U's "strange controller" despite Nintendo self-admittedly failing to properly communicate its essence as basically the attempt at bringing NDS's dual screen functionality over to home consoles. And obviously big time with Switch whose appeal was blatant even from the first intentionally uncommented reveal trailer.

@nhSnork as someone who plays almost exclusively docked I don’t see much power difference between the switch and the wii u which I did own. Also I use the switch pro controller which is a bit better but not much of an innovation over the wii u pro controller.

I’m happy with the switch. But I would have been just as happy if Nintendo would have pulled a Microsoft and ditched the wii u tablet in the first year the way microsoft ditched the connect.

Either way I’m happy but I would be even more happy with a switch tv which doesn’t switch and was cheaper still. But that’s because I basically only play on the tv and don’t care for the joy cons. Surely there must be more people like me.

@Fighter_Hayabusa ok, I read it too quickly or it’s my ADD kicking in...I have $700 in credit card points. By the time these are readily available, I will be able to get both, essentially for free. My guess is that I won’t be able to get one without hassle or mark up till next year around this time.

@Heavyarms55 Man you went heavy on the conspiracy there didnt you.
Yeah no one paid them, this wasn't a Sony article or anything else. It was an industry article from analysts.
Everyone is effected, GPUs, Cars, consoles, Processors, monitors, tvs everything with a chip its a world wide and industry wide issue and thats a fact not a conspiracy.

SOME companies have a stockpile, Apple being one of them. Apple can do that because alot of the chips in their phones are the exact same every generation. Even the processors are usual just a slight improvement but the parts inside are the same.

PS5, Xbox and GPU was hit the hardest. Because all 3 were new architecture. When the pandemic started the final parts of the system were still being decided upon and at that point no shortage was expected.

When those 3 main products had their specs finalized it created a massive influx, and influx that would normally be fine, if there wasnt a shortage of raw materials.. The big 3 being Nvdia, Sony and Microsoft, all tried to release new hardware within the same month or 2. Needless to say thats millions of extra parts. Not including every single other industry.

Now for GPUs we had a stock shortage because of bots and scalpers and crypto miner as well

Ps5 and Xbox got hit by scalpers as well. not to mention that with people stuck at home they wanted games and systems to tide them over. Lockdowns, no gatherings, no work...major sales increase.

Nintendo would have been ok. The system is 4 years old, they likely have a huge stock pile like Apple.

Sony have already released rough sales data that the PS5 outsold projections. It even smashed the PS4 sales, which was the fastest selling console at launch. They couldnt have prepared for that. Thats why Sony announced they are trying re work the architecture to help their supply.

Officially there is a world wide shortage in EVERY industry until 2022 now and that was an independent study

There isnt some weird conspiracy. 3 of the biggest tech launches in gaming history, launched at the same time, world wide. during a pandemic, with a shortage of raw materials.

They could have delayed those until 2022 but doing so would have lost them billions in revenue. It would have destroyed Sony, Microsoft and Nivdia financially.

@sixrings sure there are - just look at PS and XBox userbases. But again, raw spec differences don't make generations. SNES actually did what NES nintendidn't, Wii could do what GameCube couldn't, PS2 was capable of things PS1 wasn't, and sometimes it even goes both ways because there are Wii U features Switch can't replicate and 3DS can't quite replicate the add-on functionality of the first NDS models (Circle Pad Pro doesn't count).

And the very core of Switch magic is that you almost exclusively play docked during this period in your life... but let said life get in the way of said habit, and any multiplat you were enjoying on your home console will either go on hiatus or toll you an separate investment in portable streaming options and the related hardware/data costs. Switch, on the other hand, is a console that tries to adjust itself to the user's life and various situations therein - to a finite extent at the cost of more finite prowess on all three amalgamated fronts, yes, but still the largest extent we've ever had in QoL terms to date. And unless you were just THAT desperate to play new Marios and Zeldas, the very fact that a hybrid console has found its way into the playtime of a predominantly living-room gamer goes to reiterate what Switch is about.

Switch sales in Q1 2021 looks to be the biggest Q1 in hardware sales for any Nintendo platform ever.

For a point of comparison, at this point in the 3DS's lifecycle, it was selling 6-7 million units per year. Switch sold nearly 6 million units in the Jan-Mar quarter.

What happened to the longer in a consoles life cycle we go, the slower the sales will become? Especially with the hot rumor mill of a switch pro on the horizon? People will say anything to make Switch sales lose legitimacy. When the switch started off, it too was hard to find on store shelves. This also means, yeah, ps5/XSX will obviously take off too, when they get to that point, but in the meantime, this is awesome success for a company that flopped so hard last gen.

This isn't fair. The Switch you don't have to fight scalpers, bots, and cryptocurrency bulls tooth and nail to pick up.

There were two Xbox series x at my local shoppers drug mart yesterday.

@TheFrenchiestFry well the switch has outsold xbox one in 4 years.only time will tell as far as outselling ps4.

Nintendo really changed up the statistics by positioning themselves during a "generation" transition rather than re-aligning with Sony and Microsoft's console releases.

That being said, the scalping technically contributes to the statistics, which really just means there isn't enough supply yet.

I just purchased a Series S on All Access and I'm impressed BUT my Switch isn't suffering. Still take it to work with me every day for lunch break entertainment and it's amazing for when someone is hogging the TV. Saying that, playing Forza and DOOM on next gen is incredible and both consoles look amazing under the TV.

Good time for gaming!

@nhSnork so what does the Switch do that the wii-U couldn't - apart from having the ability to play it undocked away from home?
It feels to me that the switch is the wii-U equivalent of a PS4 pro - the same console with a few QoL upgrades and a little bit more power.

Calling it a 9th gen machine Is completely ignoring the fact that it can't even handle 8th gen (ps4/XB1) games without major downgrades and recent exclusives like MHR run sub HD handheld and only just manage to hit basic HD when docked.
There's nothing wrong with it being last gen, that doesn'tmean it's not still currently viable. It's an amazing handheld console that links up to the TV.

@Dualmask

For real though. And while I am a bit bummed that I cancelled ny Series X preorder given the situation, I don't feel like I'm missing out on much of anything at all. Cane to that conclusion after a little hands on with the heavily overhyped returnal. I

@Mr-Fuggles777

lol, the same console that goes from an old power PC/Amd architecture to arm and nvidia. Id say you cant take a much further step than that. But sure, I guess one could reason that PS5 is only a PS3 Pro too, it did release with a PS3 game at higher resolution after all...

Man. I’m interested in PS5, but I can wait for a while. Switch is awesome. Honestly, having all my old consoles set up and easily accessible...I find that I spend quite a bit of time on them all. Even after all these years. Because when a system has good evergreen games. It’s worth playing forever.

@electrolite77

Load times are dramatically improved on native games. BC see less of a jump, but it’s still substantial on some titles.

System menu is super fast. The PS4 interface got bloated over time and it got really slow on my Phat PS4.

The controller is extremely comfortable and feels much more premium than the Dualshock 4. It’s more comfortable for long play sessions.

Consistent implementations of 60 FPS on PS5 native and some BC titles is a godsend for me (I haven’t tried 120fps, my TV doesn’t support a refresh rate that high) since I always prefer 60 FPS when possible, even if it sacrifices resolution.

It’s dramatically quieter. It’s almost silent. Mine has slight coil whine when playing AAA games but it’s still orders of magnitude quieter than my Phat PS4 was or my friends Pro, both of which sounded like jet turbines. The only time I hear it is when it’s spinning a disc or if I mute my sound system completely and stand close to it. I can barely hear the fan and the coil whine is so minute that I don’t even worry about it.

There are a few things I don’t like about it. Firstly the size. The pictures really don’t do the thing justice. It’s enormous. Secondly, the PSN store is a mess. But it’s always been a mess so I’m not really blaming the PS5 specifically, but more so blaming Sony’s PSN design team.

"but...BUT only because "next gen" consoles are not in stock !!"

Cry, cry and get rekt.

I’ve always been a Nintendo and Sony gamer (my dad got a PS1 in good ol’ 1999, and got me a GBA for my birthday a couple of years later), but between the stock issues and the fact that the games I’m excited for are still quite a way away, I’ve decided to wait until 2022 to get a PS5. By then, severa games I want to play will be out, the console will - hopefully - be more readily available, and we may even see a small price drop. My Switch will be more than enough to tide me over until then, with some of my PS4 backlog sprinkled in-between.

You are not comparing apples with apples.

@kingbk "And other times, I can play some Tetris 99 or Pac-Man from the Namco Museum."

I'd honestly rather be able to play Ms. Pac-Man on Switch than any next-gen game.

@Lukeim64 the main reason I got mine was for the upcoming FNaF game, all 8 Yakuza games and the spiderman series so I do have a lot to get through but the switch is just infinitely easier to pick up and play imo

While Sony and Microsoft videogame division make 5 times more profits than Nintendo. Yet people will keep saying Nintendo is the biggest margin maker of them.

@Mr-Fuggles777
Switch is as much a Wii U Pro as the 3DS is a NDS Pro.

So not at all.

@glaemay You mad? LMAO

@glaemay Continue to repeat this to yourself and you will even start to belive it.

@CorvoRevo Nintendo software sales for 2020 financial year 230 million, Sony 339 million. Does that mean you've got rekt? Sure are mature people on these sites.

3 years from now. The switch is still beating ps5 and xbox combined. video game media, video game industry and sony fans..IT IS STILL STOCK SHORTAGES!!!! yeah right. what ever. maybe it is because the switch has the best games than the other 2. I think that is the real reason switch is winning.

Some people seem to forget, or not realize, that the 'gen' of a system has nothing to do with its power or lack thereof, but only when it is released. Even though the Wii was barely more powerful than the Gamecube, it came after the GC and was therefore the 'next gen' after the Gamecube. Same goes for the transition from Wii U to Switch, or any other following generation of a hardware line.

@Chamver

I’m primarily a Sony fan (Nintendo is a very close second) but I want all three manufacturers to succeed. I think they are all making great products now and the competition between breeds innovation and makes them try harder.

@impurekind I thought the same thing!

@YoshiAngemon Your sarcasm was thick and fully enjoyed and appreciated 😂

@TheRedComet I think they are all making great products now and the competition between breeds innovation and makes them try harder.
Not when it's exclusive i.e. FF isn't on Switch but for a limited small release so that breeds no innovation. So let's be frank that is misleading at best.

@tntswitchfan68 That's the real story but they want to cherry pick only NA and says that is the trend but couldn't be farther from the truth. But that is why it hurts the butt crack for them.

@SwitchForce the latest FF isn't on the switch because it can't run them! Who are these people that are butt hurt? Who cares how many consoles these mega billion dollar companies sell. I enjoy gaming on all 3 systems, why limit myself to just one and miss out on some amazing games from the others. They all have scummy practice's, even your beloved Nintendo! And TheRedComet is correct, by all 3 company's doing well and competing we the consumers benefit from the competition as they shouldn't just try and coast.

@SwitchForce Thank you.

@Serialsid Not everyone can afford all 3, and ever since Square focused more on graphics with FF, the quality has went down dramatically. FE and XC can smoke any modern FF game. Of course competition is good, but having better graphics isn't always better.

@Narrator1 The Switch has stock shortages.

@tntswitchfan68

FF7 Remake is the best final fantasy game since 9, IMO. It’s extremely good and it’s presentation is part of the reason it is so awesome.

I would like to see Square release the rest of the classic Final Fantasy titles on Switch. Final Fantasy I through VI need to be rereleased on something other than iOS and Android.

@TheRedComet I hated thw FF 7 Remake. They ruined the pacing, story and they only put in one 3rd of the game.

@tntswitchfan68

I’ll have to agree to disagree.

The only thing I really disliked about it was how it went full Nomura at the end. But it did give them some interesting scenarios they could play around with in the next game.

@TheRedComet I am glad you liked it, it did not work for me.

But NintenDoom, wasn't that suppose to happen.

You wont need a new xbox or ps5 until a couple years when they make more games for it

@Mr-Fuggles777 let's see... different architecture, different storage medium, unique functionality (Wii U's Off-TV mode is entirely stream-based, so really more along the lines of PlayStation's Remote Play combos instead), unique versatile controllers including single screen multiplayer equipment out of the box for most related games, a separate digital distribution platform and a completely different OS... is that what you're calling "some QoL updates"? On top of "a slight increase in power" which includes twice (and in practical usage, thrice) the RAM? Yeah, these are some exotic criteria of a midgen "Pro" upgrade.😌

Like I already said above, this kind of logic can easily leave us with Wii as a Gen 6 console and other marvels of classification - until you get the memo that console generations aren't measured by GHz or porting compromises. As for other condescending patpats like "a handheld that connects to a TV", they sure tend to sound like they come from people with no experience of connecting actual handhelds to a TV. Where on the joycons is a button I need to hold for five seconds, again?😅

@glaemay
Last year, Nintendo earned more profit than PlayStation and Xbox combined.

@MontyCircus

I want to play Sonic 3 and Knuckles on something modern.

If I want to play it without using my laptop, I have to drag my GameCube and it’s copy of Mega Collection out of storage.

It’s ridiculous that Sega can’t settle the music licensing disputes with the Jackson estate and Brad Buxor. They need to get that settled so we can get a Taxman rerelease like Sonic 1 and 2 got.