Switch vs PS4 Sales Comparison - Switch Lead Tops 6 Million in October 2020 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 01 December 2020 / 5,474 Views
The VGChartz sales comparison series of articles are updated monthly and each one focuses on a different sales comparison using our estimated video game hardware figures. The charts include comparisons between the 7th generation and 8th generation platforms, as well as comparisons within the 8th generation. There are articles based on our worldwide estimates, as well as the US, Europe, and Japan.
This monthly series compares the aligned worldwide sales of the Nintendo Switch and the PlayStation 4.
Switch Vs. PS4 Global:
Gap change in latest month: 943,031 - Switch
Gap change over last 12 months: 8,263,615 - Switch
Total Lead: 6,776,194 - Switch
Switch Total Sales: 67,966,935
PS4 Total Sales: 61,190,741
October 2020 is the 44th month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for. During the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the Switch by 943,031 units when compared to the PlayStation 4 during the same timeframe. In the last 12 months, the Switch has outsold the PlayStation 4 by 8.26 million units. The Switch is currently ahead of the PlayStation 4 by 6.78 million units.
The PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013, while the Nintendo Switch launched worldwide in March 2017. Therefore, the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup, which is why there are big increases and decreases.
The 44th month on sale for the Nintendo Switch is October 2020, while for the PlayStation 4 it is June 2017. The Switch has sold 67.97 million units, while the PlayStation 4 sold 61.19 million units during the same timeframe. The PlayStation 4 did not reach current Switch sales until month 49.
The PlayStation 4 has sold 113.69 million units through September 2020. The Nintendo Switch is currently 45.72 million units behind the lifetime sales of the PlayStation 4.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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Outpacing the mighty ps4 itself!
That fourth year of the Switch is incredible. And Christmas is coming ...
So, Switch seemed to sell about 10M over the holidays last year, so with the new year starting it should easily past 75M, maybe even 80M if these holidays are stronger. That means it will be already past PS4s next holidays and only growing. At this point it seems like Switch might keep the lead for lifetime, if it loses it than inly in the very long tail of the PS4. That is quite the accomplishment.
Yeah. I think it's all going to come down to how long the ps4 sells. I think we'll have a good idea on that after this holiday. Ps5 adoption will hurt ps4. Which is to say the faster the ps5 install base grows, the sooner devs won't be supporting ps4 which will lead to sony discontinuing it sooner.
So basically what I'm saying is that if the ps5 sells well, the ps4 will slow in sales even more and come to an end sooner.
mnementh, you've made progress over the months, but you are still not quite there yet. You still say "might keep the lead for lifetime."
Why would tailend sales be a reason for concern? If you extrapolate Switch sales further from the point where you already expect Switch to have a lead of 10m+, it should be obvious that year 5 won't allow the PS4 to gain back any ground, because Switch's momentum is too strong for that. So after year 5 Switch's lead will still be 10m+ (likely 15m+ already), leaving the PS4 with hardly any time to make up for its deficit. Year 6 and 7 aren't very strong for the PS4 anymore, year 8 won't add much to the PS4's final lifetime total, let alone year 9. We are looking at lifetime sales of ~125m for the PS4.
If you run Switch numbers with 75m by end of 2020, another 20m in 2021 (95m LTD), another 15m in 2022 (110m LTD), another 10m in 2023 (120m LTD), then even with notable declines in each and every year the math isn't going to add up for Switch to fall short of the PS4's lifetime sales. Nevermind that the starting figure of 75m is already lowballed in this example.
PS4 will pass 120 million and might make it to 125 million before its put to pasture, but at this point it is inconceivable for Switch to sell less than 125 million. Switch should be around 80 million by end of this year, and by end of 2021 should be over 100 million, perhaps even a few million over. At that point it is no more than 18 months from passing whatever PS4 ends up at lifetime, and Switch will still have a year give or take a few months to sell before being replaced, and then at least several million more to sell after being replaced. Right now looking like Switch is gonna outsell PS4 lifetime by 15+ million, something like 140-145mil to 125mil.
But, but,... Nintendo consoles peak early...
The DS peaked in it's fourth year.
The DS was a handheld, not a console, but technically neither is the Switch. It's a hybrid that appeals to both markets.
I know, I was just imitating the naysayers
Yeah I was just saying they aren't entirely wrong, since Nintendo consoles do peak early but Switch isn't just a console.
At this point, we should be looking beyond the PS4 as to where the Switch is going to end up.
Do we have monthly figures of the PS2 or just quarterly figures? Otherwise, that just leaves us with just the DS to compare.
As far as I'm aware, no. We only have the DS to compare to.
Last holiday season Switch put 7 million on PS4's numbers, and now it's already up by 7 million, so by end of year it could have a more than 15 million lead!
Nintendo Switch will eventually catch the glorious old champion the Sony PS4. Insane for Nintendo. The time has come for the Sony PS5 to take up the mantle. 9th gen has only just begun.
Nintendo switch was a great idea
Amazing to see how well those two consoles are doing. I would have hated to see any of those two having bad sells. Having two Japanese consoles doing so well and having their own identity is really cool.
Insane how Switch is performing. I will grow a solid lead after this holiday season and will likely keep growing next year since Switch will probably stay at a pretty great baseline. Even if it drops to 24 millions next year it will be significanly more than what PS4 will do. It will catch the 100 mark in no time and will likely sell beyond 125 millions.
