April NPD: Switch Has Overtaken PS4 Sales In The US

We've absolutely gone over the peak in terms of sales, but that'll still be better than the PS4 has ever done in its best year. There's life in the old girl yet. Especially if an improved model is released.

It has a really solid chance of becoming the best-selling console of all time. Push onward, Nintendo!

Despite such a great milestone, there are signs that the Switch has passed its peak

Can we have a 1-year retrospective on this prediction in May 2023? I'd be very interested to see how this will turn out.

I recall someone here said either before launch or in the launch year that the Switch wouldn’t sell more than 20M units lifetime. I think of them from time to time. I wonder if they’re doing ok.

Incredible... I'm still amazed and yet, oddly I feel surprised it isn't higher on the list already. All I know is kudos to Nintendo and its creation of one of the best console ideas to hit gaming ever.

Won't be too long before this happens worldwide.

@Truegamer79
Switch has exceeded PS4's lifetime sales in the US. That is different from Switch outselling PS4 on a month-to-month basis, which it has been doing so since late 2018.

Wait...the 360 is in the top 5? Ok, that must be next...this is great news!

@masterLEON Oh, yes, I recall those times quite well.

The talented prognosticators at Forbes left us with this:

My guess is that the Switch may do at least as well as say, the Xbox One, which is estimated to have sold about 26 million units so far, and perhaps the Switch might get to 30-35 million when all is said and done.

@masterLEON I recall saying something similar back then. I'm a cynic, though, and the Wii U's performance was that bad that I had no hope for the future lol

I figured it would do as well as the 3ds. Not bad. I don’t think many were predicting well over a hundred million…

The internet was full of doomposting before the Switch launched.

Even after it took off like a bullet, people have tried explaining away its success every step of the way, immeasurably salty that it was so enduringly popular.

I, for one, welcome our new hybrid overlord. And with Steam having joined the fray, 99% or so of games out there will soon be playable in hybrid form.

@westman98 especially considering that PS4 has been on sale for almost nine years in the region - and Switch, for a bit over five.

I'm expecting Switch to pass everything except maybe the DS/PS2 globally, and even those might be within reach if they keep it going long enough.

The PS Vita is estimated to have sold a pathetic ~2.5 million units in the US, so it won't be too long before the Switch outsells PS4 + PS Vita combined in the US.

@Truegamer79,

Not sure if you read the article correctly.

The Switch has passed the total number of PS4 consoles sold in the U.S, and is still selling, nothing about the console outselling the PS4 on a month to month basis.

Well deserved. I didn't realize just how well the Wii and 360 sold in the U.S., but the Switch should surpass them in due time. Less sure about the PS2.

I like my both PS4 and Switch but I think I prefer PS4 for some reasons during pandemic.

Shhh...don't tell the PushSquare lot. (hehe)

The Switch is going to get very, very close to the numbers the DS and PS2 had. Does it overtake them? If the next 3-4 years of sales continues to be in the 15-20 million range, yes. It's going to be close.

I always find it funny that when a piece of hardware starts to slow down in sales analyst look at the scenario like the popularity of the hardware is dropping, when actually it's just that the majority of gamers have now bought a Switch and don't need 2 or 3 of them. It's silly to think somehow sales will remain the same. Now it's time for a 2 year avalanche of killer software. The Switch will probably surpass every console except for, maybe, the PS2 in software sales when all is said and done.

Well I’ve purchased five Switch consoles since release for myself and kids, so I’m doing my part!

Wait the Xbox 360 outsell the PS2 in NA? Well that's news to me.

@Serpenterror No Ps2 is #1 then Xbox360 is #2.

@illmatic20xx So it's Wii, PS2, and then Xbox 360?

@masterLEON To be fair, how many companies go from a system that is a massive failure in the Wii U to a massive success like the Switch?

Bad selling consoles pretty much doomed Sega and Atari.

I think it's time to break out the old "Is Nintendo doomed?" analyzing tool. According to this, it reads "yes." As always...

I still don’t understand how the New York Police Department gets this information?

P.S. could the slow down also be a factor of availability and money becoming worthless?

Is there an outlet in the US that releases these on a weekly basis like the Japan and UK charts? Monthly results are nice, but I'm one of those nerds who likes more data breakdown.

@Truegamer79
Yeah, they mean lifetime sales in the us. I got confused at first as well. The title is really misleading.

Awesome! Well Deserved, since Nintendo Switch is Incredible!

The saying “selling like hot cakes” is way to overused on here. I don’t know any place of business that actually sells hot cakes!
The switch is selling exceptionally well as it should.

And one tower has fallen. Move to another target..

@masterLEON Then they swung it to “but it’s a handheld??!!!?! Surely it should be classified against the 3DS??!!?!!?” Then it passes the 3DS. Been enjoying the textual gymnastics in the comment sections.

@masterLEON
They probably pop in to leave a snarky comment every time there’s a Pokémon article.

@kingbk a new switch will be out next year i bet the old switch sales will diminish rapidly when that happens..

As a hybrid the Switch didn't really interest me, as a smaller form factor dedicated handheld, the Lite has become my most played gaming platform in general. I still play my PS4 and once it's easier to obtain a PS5, I plan to. I think the Lite, as an option for people who wanted a cheaper handheld only Switch, was a great idea. Im sure having the different iterations is a key part of the success.

Hahahahaha the Switch is on its peak now, nonsense talk at its best.

What are the signs that Switch has passed its peak? It's sold what, 21 million units per year and Nintendo forecasts another 21 million this year. And that's amid a component shortage that's causing demand to outstrip supply. Games are coming out and selling in droves for the system. I think we're still in the peak.

@johnedwin I will be massively surprised if a new Switch comes out next year, unless it's yet another version of the current model.

Super Switch please- it’s time

@Joe-b Not a surprise with 360 being the second best selling ever in US after PS2. Next on the list will be Wii

@beazlen1 no way. Why kill the momentum.

Goomba needs his own game now surely

Switch launched March 3, 2017, which was 5 years, 2 months, 9 days ago. So, is it impressive that it took them this long or that another device overtook them so quickly?

Its nice they sold the units, but if I were Nintendo, I'd ask media outlets like this to be more 'circumspect' about this dubious achievement.

@kingbk i doubt that Switch will surpass DS/PS2 lifetime sales, only a miracle for this to happen, Switch in his year of it lifecycle, only 2 years for it sucessor to launch.

end of 2022/begining of 2023 Switch will surpass PS4/Game Boy lifetime sales.

@beazlen1 Nintendo will launch the Switch sucessor around 2 years, don't worry Switch in his final years of it lifecycle, only 2 years for it sucessor to launch.

@CANOEberry well in financial report, Nintendo show that Switch yearly sales are declining, this is natural, Switch can sell astronimical numbers each year, it seens 2022 will be the peak of Switch sales and after that will be a downward spiral.

Can switch become the best seling console ever? You guys think is posible?

@EriXz Yes. It's in with a shout, easy.

@BiscuitCrumbsInMyBed for someone who’s name suggests you enjoy a good baked treat, I am surprised you take exception to a food analogy about something selling well.

The analogy refers to warm cakes, buns, bread etc being sold so quickly that they haven’t yet cooled because they are that popular.

Gotta firm up those rookie numbers. They really need to focus on being a third party developer and port their games to PC.

I bought an OLED Switch, since I can't get a PS5. Hopefully this won't turn out like my Wii-U, but I'm planning on getting the new (now delayed) Zelda game to play

@Serpenterror In the US, for home consoles, it's PS2, 360, Wii, and now Switch.

@westman98 The Switch murdered the PS4 in Japan in lifetime sales.

@luscher Have you seen the Nintendo e-Shop?? The list of games is 7,000. I'm sure you will find games to play if you are willing to explore outside of AAA games that you are "suppose" to buy. One of my most played games I only paid $0.10 cents for. I'm enjoying Pokemone United and that's completely free. (I fell for "it's a play to win" going on with YouTubers, it is not.) I strongly suggest you explore out of your comfort zone. Publisher Digital Devolver is a good place to start.

My understanding is that sales are only slowing due to the chip shortage, the same reason Sony and Microsoft aren't selling many current gen consoles. I also expect the chip shortage will push the switch successor's launch back at least 2 years from now. No way Nintendo wants to launch a new console without enough units to meet demand.

Nintendo Switch better outsell the ps2!

Sounds like Nintendo Life is expecting the same hardware end of life abandonment I am and have seen from Nintendo in the past 20 years. I think a lot of consumers are seeing this as well. Especially as we see some of those PC gamers who bought a Switch to play some of their favorites on the go, start migrating to steamdeck and other PC based handhelds. That audience is now gone. Which means possible after market surge.

@nimnio Yeah I think it speaks volumes that past the peak Nintendo are still predicting it to sell approximately the gamecube's life time sales on the 6th year in the market.

I don't remember the 360 selling THAT many units or being THAT popular. Must be another one of those Mandela Effects.

@Truegamer79 life time sales
There were 7 years between the ps4 and the ps5 (2013-2020), the switch is out for 5 years and sold in that time frame more than the ps4 sold during those 9 years (cause it is still on sale in Japan so I guess it is also true for the US

@Andy_Witmyer Only in the US I think and a big reason was because many customers had to buy at least one new console after getting RROD

Sony has also stopped producing PS4s to focus on the PS5 due to chip shortages. When was the last time you saw a new PS4 anywhere? It's been over 2 years.

Switch is the fastest selling console so far this year. Regardless of how folk want to spin the Switch dying (lol as if) the fact remains Nintendo are in the strongest position during the silicon shortage. I dare say it's logistical minefield going forward for all parties.

It's like a race and I'm rooting for the Switch

@CANOEberry yeah Paul Tassi is a joke when it comes to predictions. Lots of clickbait. Talented writer though.

@Ristar24 That was my thinking on picking up an Xbox S and very awesome gamepass. After paying the same price as a 2nd Switch and for my $15 I can play nextgen stuff while I wait on a my funds to afford (and maybe even a revision of the PS5).

@TheBigK Yeah, I hear that. Things could’ve gone either way. Now, Nintendo basically made a pattern: GC, low sales > Wii, high sales > WiiU, low sales > Switch, high sales. Let’s just hope on the next system they’ve learned from the WiiU and not pull another…well, WiiU.

@Caryslan Well, while not a massive failure but definitely not their best-seller, the Gamecube birthed the Wii generation from a hardware standpoint. Better versions of the internal CPU and GPU, the first backwards compatible Nintendo home console, and it was online capable. Of course, Wii Sports helped a little bit by being the pack-in game.

@WiltonRoots And now they have no more ammo since the Switch is the only system. Funny how that works out.

@FatWormBlowsASparky I dunno, I think the Splatoon 2.5 /DLC snark comments are a tough contender.

The Switch is my least favorite console of all time. None of the first party titles have felt like more than a lazy retread of past glories. Great for everyone that likes it though. I really don't get the attraction.

Impressive numbers for Switch, it's selling at a faster rate than PS4. Will definitely outsell it worldwide by the end of the year.

@SpaceboyScreams 360 was also a beast in the UK. Sold very well for sure

@BAN plus no major price cut. Pretty amazing after 5 years it still shifting big numbers with no permanent price drop

@ivory_soul Sony have just ordered another million PS4s so it's not dead yet - it also uses 'unfashionable' chips so it doesn't suffer from the majority of shortages in the same way that the Switch doesn't.

Sure, the PS5 has stolen the old girl's thunder and it doesn't help that it was the Pro version that was axed. Add to that new dumb Sony's refusal to drop the base PS4 from £260 to a £200 price point and they're hurting their own sales.

Can the 100 million seller from Nintendo ultimately unseat the 157 million selling PS2? I think a new Switch will be needed before too long and that will dampen the current Switch's sales.

@TheBigK Yep, I'll admit I was thinking they'd have to become another SEGA. I loved their software but I thought for sure their hardware days were over. (That's how bad the Wii U was.) There are some things you are more than happy to be wrong about...

@sanderson72 I didn't know they ordered more. I know it wasn't officially discontinued, but I haven't seen one in a store in a couple of years.

@BinaryMessiah Weirdly, they always seem to be sold out!

@kobashi100 For sure.