Switch On Track To Surpass PS2's Lifetime Sales In The US

"It is inevitable" - Agent Smith, Matrix

That is still surprisingly impressive especially considering how many people bought the PS2 for its DVD ability. The switch has no bonus feature like that and is going to match PS2 sales on clean gameplay alone.

2 of my favorite consoles right there. Not really surprised that the Switch will surpass PS2.

Where did 160 million come from?
Why does PS2 keep getting a jump?
This is like the 4th one now!

Also, the wording here... HAHAHAHA

"Switch has currently sold 143 million units as of 30th June 2024, while the PS2 shifted 160 million units worldwide during its lifetime."

Switch, SOLD
PS2, Shifted, which means SHIPPED, NOT sold!

@speedracer216 And it never received a price cut which makes it even more of an impressive achievement

@Spider-Kev When the Switch reaches 160 million units sold, Jim Ryan will say the real number is 165 million.

I hope it does, Switch is a very good system. Perhaps a price cut could make it sell even better. It’d help a lot of people on the fence to decide to go for it! It’d probably make it more likely for people/families to get a 2nd Switch.

That +5 Million that Jim Ryan tossed out just before retiring, still cracks me up.

Jim " Lyan " will think of something to not let Switch be the winner ...

Nintendomination!

Switch will reign supreme!

the ps2 is a legendary console, but if there was ever a juggernaut of a console to dethrone it, its gotta be the switch!

@speedracer216 Well, at the time DVD players were quite expensive. I don't really remember how much they went for back then since I could hardly remember but the PS2 was actually the most affordable one that could play DVD's, especially right out of the box. So I think that has alot to do with that.

I didn't get one until late 2008...

I can’t see it happening anymore. Switch sales have absolutely slowed down now, especially with the news of the successor soon. Maybe it can hit 155 million but beating the PS2 feels like a long shot.

ps3 came out 6 and a half years after ps2. switch 2 wont come out until 8 years after switch 1 that is the reason switch 1 will pass the ps2

When the Switch 2 is released and the OG Switch gets a drastic price cut it will be over for Sony's precious and miraculously growing record.

I'm glad the Nintendo Switch's goal was not to beat the PS2 but to completely outsell it which means it must beat the PS2 while trying to beat the PS2 in beating the PS2.

@Serpenterror please say PS2 one more time.

The only way for switch to NOT sells as much as ps4 is if nintendo stop selling switch 1 the moment switch 2 release.

I agree with what others have said. Jim Ryan moving the goalposts is hysterical.

The Switch is a force of nature in North America and Japan. Now Nintendo just needs to make itself more competitive in Europe.

@jedgamesguy 2 million in a slow quarter is still good. Most consoles sell most in the back half of the year. 150 million Switches by the end of 2024 is all but guaranteed which leaves sales of only 10 million more needed, and the 3DS sold 9 million after the Switch released.

The only way i see it happening is to set up the OLED Switch as an entry device, cut price in half or at least down to the level of a switch lite. Switch 2 has to work somewhat like ps5 or more like xbox series where most games where cross gen.
Only in that scenario sales could be boosted to reach 160 millions.

As the Switch converges on 150M+ some investigation will be needed to know exactly what PS2 sales records show instead of a very well rounded number thrown out there by a salesman.

@johnedwin and do you not remember the disaster Sony had with the Ps3 for its first few years with its insanely high price or that Ps2 waa discontinued by Sony in January 4, 2013

Switch FTW ! One of the best consoles ever!

"Do you think we'll see it surpass PS2's global lifetime sales anytime soon?"

It's 11 million units away, Carl (EDIT: 12, but the point still stands). With a new Zelda round the corner, a new Metroid Prime on the horizon and still no price cuts at play.

Just call the next console Switch Color and then all the Switch sales can be added together.

Nintendomination! It's so good to see Nintendo succeed after the failure of the Wii U, although I still love that console to bits. It was so unique, yet so flawed...

Sony never officially said 160 M, it was an interview in where it was mentioned casually by Jim Ryan as an obviously rounded figure. The correct figure IS probably close to 160 M, but there is no official figure.

There are three Switch in my house. I really want an OLED to replace my OG model, which is still in excellent working order by the way, but it won’t happen without a price cut… or if I somehow come in to serious money 😅

Until Sony manage to find even more consoles, that they have sold.

I'll say again that if Switch somehow doesn't become the number one selling console of all time by the end of its lifespan, shame on Nintendo. This is one accolade I think it should actively be pushing for, and it's really not that hard to achieve. A proper price cut alone at some point--and I mean proper, like a $100 drop or whatever--would easily push it over the edge imo.

Oh, so it's 160 million now? lol

Sony just keep finding millions of the things in their broom closet, apparently ...

Nintendo should drop switch by £€$100 to get this done!

@Spider-Kev pretty sure Jim Ryan quoted the higher number just before he retired. I’m sure it was entirely accurate and in no way to retain his legacy of having the highest selling console.

Incredible success. My concern now is how will the Switch 2 do? Hardware sales are dropping like a stone across all consoles now, so will the Switch 2 even be of interest by the time it releases? I can’t see it having the success of the original.
Switch 2 is going to have be more than just a refresh and it will need extra grunt under the bonnet.

Being back compatible will be essential of course but how can they make it so it feels like a huge upgrade?

Touch times ahead for the console industry as more and more move to PC and handheld PC.

When Switch launched, they pretty much had the handheld market to itself but that won’t be the case this time around.

The phenomenal success of the Switch has been a joy to watch but ai fear the longer they wait with announcing Switch 2, the less likely it is to sell well outside of Japan.

The PS2 only officially announced/sold 155million. Reporting 160million is just a straight up lie, it was announced with no evidence by Jim Ryan only once he had no liability over what he said.

@johnedwin Thank you for the PS2 fan view. Is that the only reason it sold more, i'm sure there must be more. And, of course, there are plenty more the other way too.

No reason for Nintendo to reduce the price and lose money on each console to increase the overall number sold given the mammoth sales

@Dr_Lugae No, the last official number is 150 millions, from 2011, two years before they stopped production of the PS2. The number 155 millions is a good estimate from early 2012, and it probably sold a few more millions after that. Which would mean that Ryan's 160 millions is probably a pretty good figure (rounded up obviously), even if it wasn't meant as an official statement.

@AmplifyMJ I'm with you there. I also want to replace my Switch with an OLED model. Good luck to us!!

@Strumpan The last official number is 150m from 2011, discontinued in 2013. That implies people believe Sony produced another 5-10m PS2 systems in 2012.

Somehow.....I doubt it.

I honestly think this is a large reason why the Switch's successor was delayed and why Nintendo has been so silent about it for so long. To get those last console sales needed to surpass PS2 in total console sales.

@Lightsiyd outside of JoyCon issues, which Nintendo have fixed and / or replaced for free, I’ve had no problems whatsoever with my Switch. Battery still lasts great, and alas I play mostly handheld! Playing a lot of Quake 2 at the minute and a voice in my head keeps whispering… ‘I wonder how good this would look on an OLED screen…’ 😅

The fact that Sony had to shift the total shows they know they are gong to be beaten. Literally changing the goalposts after the final whistle scenario..

As sort of ssaid before, not sure why rhe gaming 'press'just took over the 160 number, said by one mastodont with a vested interest in pumping ps2 sales up

@Haruki_NLI I think it's reasonable. If I would guess, I'd say 158 millions total. But these are just guesses and your doubt is justified.

Nintendo Switch sales juggernaut TOO BIG TO RIG!

looking at the other story about this gives more context
“while Sony had stopped supplying sales figures in 2012. So it's entirely plausible that the PS2 managed to add another 5 million onto the 155 million that had been previously confirmed.”
Yes it’s entirely plausible that this happened especially in some parts of the world similarly to the Mega Drive in South America where Tectoy sold 3 million of them and also given that this had 12 years to happen, wouldn’t surprise me if something similar has been happening with the Wii but there’s generally no point in reporting them despite the numbers still being recorded internally.

and the PS2 sold 160 million units worldwide during its lifetime.

Source: Trust me, bro. When the Switch reaches 161M, then the PS2 will magically be at 165M.

@speedracer216 Yep. At the time of the ps2's launch, the best selling software was...The Matrix on DVD.

Whatever the Switch number winds up being in the end, 10 years from now some outgoing Nintendo head honcho can just add 5 million to it and BOOM, best selling console ever. 😁

PS2 numbers mysteriously keep going up somehow.

It's incredible that the system has sold so well without any kind of price cut, but I guess having the Switch Lite as a cheaper model helps that.

Here’s a thread from 2018 where people speculated on total PS2 sales with someone giving an educated estimation of “minimum of 159.2m and a maximum of 161.9m” which is line with what Ryan claimed. PS2 production ended at 160,636,885 on March 2013.
https://www.resetera.com/threads/what-was-the-lifetime-sales-of-the-ps2-not-158m-update-between-159-2m-and-161-9m.77277/page-2#post-14296421

@dew12333 there are tens of millions more gamers now then there were during the ps2 days

The Switch is a testament to Nintendo's universal, lasting appeal and reputation for fun games for all ages and skill levels. Yes it's not as powerful as it's competition, but the convenience of being able to play on my TV or portably is tough to beat. Honestly as a Canadian and die-hard hockey fan, if EA Sports were to ever release NHL 25 (or NHL 26 on the Switch 2), I would have very little need to play my PS5 or Series X.

@johnedwin
Is that how you cope?
You can't stand the thought of the PS2 being overtaken so you have to create a whole bunch of excuses to justify.
By your logic, how many millions will you deduct from the PS2 numbers because people bought it as a cheap DVD? They weren't actually gaming on it so it doesn't count, right?
Considering the PS2 sales data encompasses of 13 years, we are going to have to wait until 2030 to come up with a final number for Switch to make it fair.
The PS2 was an amazing console! The Switch potentially selling more than it does not take away from its awesomeness. It is not necessary to make excuses or put others down to love the PS2. We are not in the console wars anymore.
PS2 was phenomenal and so is Switch.
Be happy 😁

@Steel76 no one bought multiple ps2 consoles but many have bought 2 or even 3 switch consoles...

The 160 million Jim Ryan tossed out was clearly a lie. Why would he just randomly know that number and announce it on a podcast 14 years after the console stopped being manufactured XD

@johnedwin "no one bought multiple ps2 consoles"

How do you know that? Sigh... Fanboys...

The PS2 is great, the Switch is great. Doesn't matter which one has sold the most.

@Quarth simply because of the portability of the switch and family members can have one by themselves. you cannot do that with a home console like the ps2

That's the only reason why they haven't annouce the switch successor. Just so they snub at Sony.

@johnedwin
Since the PS2 was a DVD player people bought multiple for different rooms. Just... stop.

@jamesthemagi
Just deleted my comment, as I was gonna say about the same as you.

It's worth pointing out that the 160M PS2 figure isn't actually officially recognised. It's likely Jim Ryan rounded up for an off the cuff remark.

@Spider-Kev they kept making ps2s even into the year of the PS4's launch it was a massive success in latin america. We still see 3ds sales in the Japanese sales charts at the very bottom so yea 160 million PS2s, not impossible

@johnedwin you realize the ps2 was in production for over 12 years right. Stopped in 2013. They kept making it after the ps3 came out.

@johnedwin Of course people could have bought several PS2's for their homes: one console per bedroom if one had more than one child. You have no evidence for your claims. Stop fanboying or trolling. It's kinda sad to see.

@WiltonRoots Takes you back to the good old days of that Irish troll, remember?

@Quarth Oh mate I love this dude, Sligeach was just constantly angry and needed a hug, this guy, I just don't know. I thought he gave up after the Japanese charts stopped giving him any slither of a point to raise.

@WiltonRoots He keeps on inventing excuses as is evident by his replies in this comment section.

@Quarth hence why I compared him to Bobby the Brain Heenan in WWF, his man would be getting knocked all over the place but still spin it like he’s on the verge of a win… 😂 he’s one of the nicest trolls we’ve had in a while though. We’ve had some proper scumbags in here…plus people like Bloodninja who could start a fight in an empty room…

@WiltonRoots True that, true that!

@Quarth I can only assume he's about 12. 14 at most.

@WiltonRoots But he's been a Nintendo fan since 1988?