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PS5 Best-Selling Console, Zelda OLED Boosts Switch - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for April 2023

PS5 Best-Selling Console, Zelda OLED Boosts Switch - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for April 2023 - Sales

by William D'Angelo , posted on 02 June 2023 / 9,210 Views

The PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console worldwide with 1,345,894 units sold for April 2023, according to VGChartz estimates. The PlayStation 5 has now sold an estimated 37.44 million units lifetime worldwide.

The Nintendo Switch sold an estimated 1,273,752 units to bring its lifetime sales to 125.06 million units. The Xbox Series X|S sold 372,859 units to bring their lifetime sales to 21.67 million units. The PlayStation 4 sold an estimated 12,972 units to bring its lifetime sales to 117.03 million units.

PS5 sales compared to the same month for the PS4 in 2016 are up by over 669,000 units, while the Xbox Series X|S compared to the same month for the Xbox One are up by nearly 60,000 units. PS4 sold 676,414 units for the month of April 2016 and Xbox One sales were at 313,059 units.

PlayStation 5 sales compared to the same month a year ago are up by 673,730 (100.2%). Nintendo Switch sales are up by 142,499 units (12.6%) and Xbox Series X|S sales are down by 134,647 units (-26.5%). The PlayStation 4 is down 18,065 units (-58.2%) year-over-year.

Looking at sales month-on-month, Nintendo Switch sales are up by nearly 189,000 units, PlayStation 5 sales are down by nearly 755,000 units, and Xbox Series X|S sales are down by over 182,000 units. It should be noted March is a five week month, while April is a four week month.

2023 year-to-date, the PlayStation 5 has sold an estimated 6.92 million units, the Nintendo Switch has sold 4.35 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S has sold 1.89 million units.

Check out the breakdown of the Americas sales here, the Europe sales here, and the Japan sales here.

VGChartz Worldwide Hardware Estimates - PS5, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

Monthly Sales:

Global hardware estimates for April 2023 (Followed by lifetime sales):

  1. PlayStation 5 - 1,345,894 (37,439,537)
  2. Switch - 1,273,752 (125,055,820)
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 372,859 (21,669,400)
  4. PlayStation 4 - 12,972 (117,033,518)
Americas (US, Canada, Latin America) hardware estimates for April 2023:
  1. Switch - 461,632
  2. PlayStation 5 - 388,966
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 247,486
  4. PlayStation 4 - 2,772
Europe hardware estimates for April 2023:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 439,299
  2. Switch - 331,947
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 92,086
  4. PlayStation 4 - 3,339
Asia (Japan, mainland Asia, Middle East) hardware estimates for April 2023:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 457,544
  2. Switch - 440,216
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 12,496
  4. PlayStation 4 - 6,635
Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) hardware estimates for April 2023:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 60,085
  2. Switch - 39,957
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 20,791
  4. PlayStation 4 - 226

Weekly Sales:

Global April 8, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 333,916
  2. Switch - 237,400
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 89,464
  4. PlayStation 4 - 3,360

Global April 15, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 331,542
  2. Switch - 230,453
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 86,535
  4. PlayStation 4 - 3,557

Global April 22, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 321,685
  2. Switch - 234,660
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 92,585
  4. PlayStation 4 - 2,822

Global April 29, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. Switch - 571,239
  2. PlayStation 5 - 358,751
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 104,275
  4. PlayStation 4 - 3,233

VGChartz Methodology: Hardware estimates are based on retail sampling and trends in individual countries, which are then extrapolated to represent the wider region. This typically allows us to produce figures that end up being within 10% of the actual totals.

This data is regularly compared against official shipment figures released by the console manufacturers and figures estimated by regional trackers with greater market coverage than ourselves. We then update our own estimates to bring them into line with those figures. This can result in frequent changes often within a short space of time, but we feel it's important to prioritise accuracy over consistency.

Note that our estimates are based on sell-through data (units sold to consumers). In almost all cases the figures released by console manufacturers are based on shipment data (sell-in), where as soon as a device has left the factory and entered the supply chain for delivery it is considered a sale. This is why there is always a difference between the companies’ figures (sell-in) and VGChartz estimates (sell-through), even after we’ve made adjustments. The one exception to that is when a console has been discontinued and the remaining stock has finally sold out – at that point the figures will match.

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 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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11 Comments
Sort by Highest Rated
Radek (on 23 May 2023)

Xbox is quickly going back to last gen sell ratio... they really need a good conference.

  • +5
only777 (on 23 May 2023)

Xbox might be doing better than last gen but both Sony and Nintendo are destroying their previous numbers..

Xbox needs Starfield to be a smash hit and start really selling hardware because Sony have their big 1st party games coming soon and we all know Nintendo will be joining the next Gen party very soon.

  • +4
Manlytears (on 22 May 2023)

PS5 3.5:1 Xbox. I know MS Focus on MAU as the metetric for success, but this is not looking good. Starfield realy needs to deliver, imho, they need to move more hardware, this is not enough.

  • +4
Zeltaz13 (on 22 May 2023)

I think the switch will be the best selling console in may due to zelda, then in june ps5 will be slightly ahead and then ps5 won't fall from the 1st thanks to spiderman

  • +3
NextGen_Gamer Zeltaz13 (on 22 May 2023)

I am thinking the same. Switch will definitely take May. Then in June PS5 will pull ahead with FFXVI. It should be a good battle for July. Then in August PS5 will get the usual Madden bump, followed by a massive bump in September with Spider-Man 2, and then Call of Duty release in October. I feel like Nintendo has to do a price jump for the holidays. They already confirmed no new hardware this fiscal year, but they also have no big releases for fall/winter 2023... (?)

  • +1
Slownenberg NextGen_Gamer (on 22 May 2023)

They haven't said anything about second half of the year releases (other than Pikmin). I'm sure we'll start hearing about their summer/fall/holiday games soon enough. But agreed they should do a price cut. No reason not to. May as well get as many people buying games as they can before the Switch is set out to pasture.

  • +4
UnderwaterFunktown (on 22 May 2023)

Ehh on the front page the Switch says 428k for North America in April, but it's total for the Americas is lower here?

  • +1
trunkswd UnderwaterFunktown (on 22 May 2023)

Typo fixed. I had PS5 and Switch mislabeled.

  • +3
Juanita (on 25 May 2023)

Do the nintendo switch estimates consist of all existing models?

  • 0
Mars2001 (on 22 May 2023)

7th year for Switch and Switch is the winner for real.Ps5 3rd year with low total numbers.Ps4 collapse after 5th-6th year.Means Switch 130M until June 2023.If succesor End of 2024,for sure 150M in next 20 months.

  • -4
Juanita Mars2001 (on 25 May 2023)

The real winner ist the xbox with -26,5 %

  • +1