It is set to be a huge year for game consoles with the Nintendo Switch 2 having been announced and Grand Theft Auto 6 arriving on PlayStation and Xbox ahead of PC.
Whether your first experience of playing games was on a handheld device or on a more traditional home machine, consoles have only gotten better as time has went on.
While the PlayStation 2 continues its reign as the best-selling video game console of all time, sales of Sony’s PS5 have climbed since it first came out in 2020. Despite this, the current generation console hasn’t been able to beat out its predecessor and the newest console to make the top 5 is the Nintendo Switch.
With the Switch 2 hitting shelves later this year, here we take a look at the best-selling games consoles of all time.
25. Nintendo Wii U – 13.56 million
Launched in 2012, the Wii U was Nintendo’s follow up to their far more successful Wii. A weak release from Nintendo, the Wii U sold just 13.56 million units despite hinting toward their future plans with the Switch. | Getty Images
26. Sega Game Gear – 10.62 million
The Game Gear was Sega’s answer to handheld systems such as the Game Boy, having been released in 1990. With a decent lifespan of seven years, the Game Gear featured a full colour backlit screen and more powerful CPU gave it the edge over other competitors, though Sega would discontinue it by 1997. Though different totals have been given regarding the total sales of the Game Gear, estimates range between 10.62 million to 14 million. | wasan - stock.adobe.com
27. Sega Saturn – 9.26 million
Despite a surprise early launch in North America, the Sega Saturn was a commercial failure everywhere but Japan. Unfortunately, just as Sega announced the console Sony stepped onto the scene with their PlayStation which boasted a cheaper price tag and support of 3D games, which led to just 9.26 million Saturn consoles being sold around the world. | Luciano_Marques - stock.adobe.com
28. Sega Dreamcast – 9.13 million
Often described as ahead of its time, the Dreamcast initially got off to a strong start upon its release in 1998. However, the success of the PS2 helped seal the company’s move away from home consoles. Ending its run prematurely in 2001, just 9.13 million Sega Dreamcast consoles were sold. | Luciano_Marques - stock.adobe.com