PS5 vs Xbox Series X|S vs Switch Sales Comparison Charts Through July 10 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 22 July 2021 / 3,804 Views
Here we see data representing the global sales through to consumers and change in sales performance of the three current platforms (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch) and three legacy platforms (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo 3DS) over comparable periods for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Also shown is the market share for each of the consoles over the same periods.
Year to Date Sales Comparison (Same Periods Covered)
Market Share (Same Periods Covered)
2018 – (Week ending January 13 to July 14)
2019 – (Week ending January 12 to July 13)
2020 – (Week ending January 11 to July 11)
2021 – (Week ending January 9 to July 10)
"Year to date" sales for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 sales are shown in series at the top of the table and then just below a comparison of 2021 versus 2020 and 2021 versus 2019 is displayed. This provides an easy-to-view summary of all the data.
Total Sales and Market Share for Each Year
Microsoft
- Xbox One – Down Year-on-Year 1,486,532 (-75.9%)
- Xbox Series X|S – n/a
Nintendo
- Nintendo Switch - Up Year-on-Year 177,109 (1.6%)
- Nintendo 3DS – Down Year-on-Year 273,749 (-90.4%)
Sony
- PlayStation 4 – Down Year-on-Year 4,206,753 (-78.2%)
- PlayStation 5 – n/a
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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If the Switch manage to stay up YoY, that would be really huge
Yeah. It is obvious that, in the coming months, it will go negative until the launch of OLED. The interesting thing will be to see when they will meet. The longer it takes, the more remarkable OLED comeback will be.
Do you think the OLED switch will affect things much? I don't really see a lot of people waiting to get that one.
And on the flip side, I don't see it boosting sales much other than the initial supply that will probably go to scalpers for the most part.
I wouldn't take the opinions on Twitter and others as a statistical population. They are a very small proportion of reality, and often full of "unconstructive people". I think there are countless cases where something was criticised a lot, but sold very well (and the other way around).
Now, I also think that OLED sales in October will be higher, but moderate. When this one will sell will be at Christmas.
It's not a big enough upgrade to get mainstream attention. People will see it when it's on store shelves and decide if they want to pay the extra 50 dollars.
I said more in another reply, but it's not a big enough upgrade to wait for. The mainstream customers aren't that picky. If they want to play Mario kart or animal crossing, they're buying a switch today. And I'm not disparaging those games. They're just the two highest selling.
If I didn't have a switch, I might wait, but I'm not part of the mass market audience. None of us are on this site probably. But I do have a switch and I'm happy with it. I would never recommend for someone to wait for the OLED if they're looking for a switch.
It's a marginal improvement for more money. I've never had my switch fall over when using the kickstand. I have a 12 dollar stand for different angles/charging in tabletop and a 20 dollar adapter for Ethernet. Someone would still need the stand to charge the OLED switch in tabletop mode.
The screen is not worth the wait to most people. I never said the OLED switch is bad. It's just not worth waiting 3 months to pay 50 dollars more.
I'll bend a little and concede that the final two weeks before launch could be affected, but no more than that.
I would not approach the Switch OLED in this way. It's not a console designed to promote the repurchase of those who already have it, but to multiply the sales of those who don't have it, and didn't want it because of the lack of features in portable mode. In the same way, it is aimed at those who bought the lite, and want to make the leap to the hybrid with a substantial change in the portable mode.
The switch that will boost the repurchase of the first users is still to come in 1 or 2 years, if they don't jump directly to the next generation console.
I think that's a fair assessment, but I'm of the other opinion. I just don't think it's significant enough to push people over the edge who haven't already bought a regular or lite.
We'll see what happens. If it was a direct replacement for 300 dollars, I think I would share your opinion.
Well, I think we can agree that predicting the future and success of the OLED Switch is very relative and tricky, much more so than the lite at release date.
The truth is that October 8th can go in many directions, and success or failure depends on how good the OLED and Dread marketing campaign will be.
Oh I think the OLED will sell just fine. But as it stands, I don't see it as a distraction from current sales. I was probably being overly critical, so I can see how I might have given the impression it will sell poorly.
Next year the standard model will be phased out and replaced by the OLED for 300. That's my ultimate prediction. So it will sell 10s of millions in the end.
I also think the OLED model should replace the standard one, but I'm not sure they will. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that the XL model of the 3DS never killed the standard model, but they lived together with a 50€ difference. And the 3DS XL model was the same model as the OLED, just a screen upgrade and four other little things.
I also hope they replace the standard model, and that in 2022 or 2023 they release the Switch Pro, with the OLED changes. Although seeing the 3DS family, I'm afraid that it won't be like that, and they'll release a Switch Pro and a Switch OLED Pro.
My main reasoning is the chip shortages. I think they secured enough for the base switch even though the OLED was on the horizon. They are probably trying to use the supply of the base switch parts they already have(which would really just be the shell and old dock) before discontinuing it.
The price difference was to give an appeal to the base model while supply dries up.
But you're right about the xl. I just see this as more of a ds lite rather than an XL. Yeah, it's bigger, but it seems like it's intended to be the improved model rather than the bigger model in the case of the XL.
Either that or they're hedging their bets and keeping them both on the market to see which sells better.
Good point. With the lack of chips it may be impossible to maintain 3 simultaneous lines.They might have to kill the original.
Now, on the other hand, I'm not sure that the OLED Switch will be a redesign of the original, like the DS lite was. I don't know why, I imagine it more like the expensive, more luxurious version (maybe it's because of the white colours, I don't know). After all, the DS Lite implemented the changes that the original could not have due to technological limitations. In this case, the OLED screen could have been added from the beginning, I see its introduction now more as an extra for those who can afford it.
Oh I think the OLED looks more premium. And definitely there are a few improvements that add a little cost.
I thought the ds lite seemed more premium than the launch model. It was a huge improvement in terms of the screen, battery life, and size. Looked better too, but it was the replacement. That's how I see the OLED.
Unless maybe they'll drop the standard to 250 next year and the OLED to 300? But I just don't see two products so similar coexisting.
Idk. With Nintendo, any outcome is possible. Lol.
Well, actually, if I'm not mistaken, the DS lite was sold at the starting price of the original DS. That's why I say it wasn't sold as a premium product, but as a "correction" of the original. I don't see the same strategy with the OLED.
But actually, I think nintendo itself is not clear about the strategy with OLED.Surely if the public keeps buying the original Switch, for simple price reasons, they will keep both models and highlight the OLED as the premium version. If the OLED clearly dethrones the original version, they will simply make a replacement as in the case of the DS lite.
I definitely think we can agree there might be a wait and see approach to the OLED. If people gobble it up for 350, maybe they will keep both.
Yes, the ds lite was launched at the original price. The OLED seems like a replacement that couldn't be sold as a replacement... yet. The reason is unclear. But as I said, my best guess is that they need to sell the rest of the switch stock and use up the parts they already have contracts for.
I think there was a rumor about the manufacturer of the 6.2 inch 720 screens ending production. I can't remember when or where I heard that, but if something like that is true, the base switch will only be made until the contract ends. But due to the shortages, Nintendo was very cautious. That's why they claimed they secured enough parts to produce 30 million switches at the beginning of the year.
Basically there's a few loose threads that lead me to believe that the base model will be phased out at some point next year. But maybe not. I guess we'll see.
Yes, I actually agree with your assessments, are more than possible. All two options are viable, as we say, we will see if they prefer to annihilate one version, or keep both.
Now, as for the rumour, I wouldn't pay too much attention to it. It was said at the time that many of the standard console components would be discontinued, and the OLED has ended up using the same ones. The discontinuation of a component can be for many reasons, from a change of manufacturer, to patent changes, or a minor version change of the product.
The Oled model is like the GB Pocket, GBA SP or DS Lite in terms of upgrades. Mainly QoL. It will definitely sell like those others did. Obviously not as insane as the DS Lite, but it will sell simply by being a more attractive product to new consumers and as an upgrade also in battery life for the Switch V1 owners.
I was a lot younger and more easily impressed back then, but the SP and ds lite were considerable upgrades. I wouldn't really compare them to the OLED switch.
It's more like the Gameboy micro or sp screen revision. In fact, it's almost exactly like the screen upgrade for the SP when they went from front lit to back lit. Was it transformative? No. Was it an upgrade? Yes. But just barely.
If the switch did not get a battery life improvement in 2019, I think this would be worth waiting for. But for 50 dollars more, it's only worth waiting for if you anticipate playing in handheld/tabletop mode frequently. The lite for 200 dollars is still the better option for true portability.
I think the mainstream isn't going to know about the OLED model until it's on store shelves. It's not going to slow down sales significantly between now and launch. It's just not a big enough upgrade especially for the increased price.
Had it not been for the chip shortages, this would have been the replacement model and launched at 300. However, Nintendo already had to secure enough supply of parts to make the current switch. They have to manufacture and sell those units concurrently with the OLED switch with a 50 dollar difference. Had the launch price been 300 for the OLED, it could be a completely different situation.
