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PS5 Sells Over 1.6M, NS Tops 130M Lifetime - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for September 2023

PS5 Sells Over 1.6M, NS Tops 130M Lifetime - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for September 2023 - Sales

by William D'Angelo , posted on 23 October 2023 / 11,286 Views

The PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console worldwide with 1,644,955 units sold for September 2023, according to VGChartz estimates. The PlayStation 5 has now sold an estimated 43.87 million units lifetime worldwide.

The Nintendo Switch sold an estimated 996,622 units to bring its lifetime sales to 130.42 million units. The Xbox Series X|S sold 671,715 units to bring their lifetime sales to 23.90 million units. The PlayStation 4 sold an estimated 21,420 units to bring its lifetime sales to 117.13 million units.

PS5 sales compared to the same month for the PS4 in 2016 are up by over 190,000 units, while the Xbox Series X|S compared to the same month for the Xbox One are down by nearly 60,000 units. PS4 sold 1,454,905 units for the month of September 2016 and Xbox One sales were at 731,697 units.

PlayStation 5 sales compared to the same month a year ago are up by 422,133 (34.5%). Xbox Series X|S sales are down by 21,583 units (-3.1%) and Nintendo Switch sales are down by 428,164 units (-30.1%). The PlayStation 4 is up 7,778 units (57.0%) year-over-year.

Looking at sales month-on-month, PlayStation 5 sales are up by nearly 250,000 units, Xbox Series X|S sales are up by nearly 241,000 units, and Nintendo Switch sales are up by over 52,000 units. It should be noted there are five weeks in September, while there were four in August.

2023 year-to-date, the PlayStation 5 has sold an estimated 12.86 million units, the Nintendo Switch has sold 10.03 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S has sold 4.20 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 September 2023 (Followed by lifetime sales):

  1. PlayStation 5 - 1,644,955 (43,869,431)
  2. Switch - 996,622 (130,419,670)
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 671,715 (23,902,979)
  4. PlayStation 4 - 21,420 (117,132,862)
Americas (US, Canada, Latin America) hardware estimates for September 2023:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 559,658
  2. Xbox Series X|S - 366,131
  3. Switch - 261,118
  4. PlayStation 4 - 8,882
Europe hardware estimates for September 2023:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 633,693
  2. Switch - 224,263
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 193,914
  4. PlayStation 4 - 6,505
Asia (Japan, mainland Asia, Middle East) hardware estimates for September 2023:
  1. Switch - 489,398
  2. PlayStation 5 - 404,825
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 80,843
  4. PlayStation 4 - 5,312
Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) hardware estimates for September 2023:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 46,779
  2. Xbox Series X|S - 30,827
  3. Switch - 21,843
  4. PlayStation 4 - 721

Weekly Sales:

Global September 2, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 360,851
  2. Switch - 216,383
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 148,270
  4. PlayStation 4 - 4,692

Global September  9, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 342,667
  2. Switch - 208,131
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 139,163
  4. PlayStation 4 - 4,472

Global September 16, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 295,332
  2. Switch - 194,019
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 114,945
  4. PlayStation 4 - 3,849

Global September 23, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 310,017
  2. Switch - 197,040
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 129,430
  4. PlayStation 4 - 4,359

Global September 30, 2023 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 336,088
  2. Switch - 181,049
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 139,907
  4. PlayStation 4 - 4,048

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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15 Comments
Geralt99 (on 23 October 2023)

PS5 did as much as the other two combined.

  • +7
Koragg (on 23 October 2023)

Starfield did not give Xbox the push it needed

  • +6
only777 Koragg (on 23 October 2023)

I think the true test will be to see if the Starfield push has any legs. But at the rate PS5 is going its looking increasingly likely that all the great Game Pass gamble has done is migrate Xbox players over to PC.

And I don't think we are going to see a world in which PC Game Pass users ever top 50 Million because of the grip Steam has on PC gaming.

I honestly believe we are looking at the last generation of Xbox, and Microsoft ends up becoming the biggest 3rd party publisher in the world.

  • +3
Manlytears only777 (on 23 October 2023)

I read somewhere on Era that, based on leaked data, the number of Gamepass PC user is like 20% that of Xbox.
That said, If we consider 25M Xbox users and 100% subs on Gamepass, that would put Gamepass at ~30M subs.

It's a hard task to meet their projections and objectives, they need to do something.
https://static1.thegamerimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/xbox-ftc-game-pass-prediction.jpg

  • +4
NoLimitVito (on 23 October 2023)

Wow Xbox got destroyed on starfield month which was supposed to be the tide turner.

  • +4
darthv72 (on 23 October 2023)

It was a great run Switch... but I don't think you have it in ya to hit the coveted 150m+ club.

  • +3
Qwark darthv72 (on 23 October 2023)

Depends on when the next one launches. It has the holidays ahead of it and if the Switch successor doesn't launch next year I don't see it selling less than 11 million. So by that time it will already have sold over 148 million. I think it can manage 150, but 160 is very likely a milestone to far. Unless the Switch 2 releases end 2025 and it doesn't get announced in 2024. Although even then it will be hard.

  • +5
XtremeBG darthv72 (on 23 October 2023)

The decline is obviously here. It will be quite down in US and Europe, only Japan is okayish for now.
But this year will be no more than 14-15M at max for the system. Next year 10M or maybe even 8 if the successor launches. So it will die at around 145 to 150M at max.

  • +1
badskywalker XtremeBG (on 23 October 2023)

Interesting that you believe that the Switch's holiday quarter will decline so much, when VGChartz currently has it at 10 million for the year, meaning you think it can only sell 4-5 million from October-December, when it's lowest december ever was 4 million, and lowest holiday quarter was 6.7 million in 2017 (Lowest October, November, and Second Lowest December)

  • +4
XtremeBG badskywalker (on 23 October 2023)

Yes, exactly. I think so.
I think this holiday will be probably the weakest one, as europe and US are both in big decline (bigger than previous years) And yes previous years were stronger, but since 2022 every year is declining with 5M. So last year sales were 19M in total. This year they will 14M and with a luck 15M at max.

  • +1
badskywalker XtremeBG (on 23 October 2023)

Right, however the Switch yoy is down 10% in the US, and 6.4% in Europe. If I were only to look at the past 3 months it would be 30% decline in US and 17.5% decline in Europe. Using the numbers for the past 3 months we would see those two markets decline from a holiday quarter of 4.977 million to 3.796 million. A collective decline of about 1.2 million. USA and Europe only made up 63% of the holiday quarter's market of 7.89 million last year, and assuming they all of the sudden make up 75% (more massive declines everywhere else including Japan) you would still get to 5.016 million.

Also the declines of 4.42 and 4.96 million were both under 5 million. You also can't just say declines of 5 million in the past two years, therefore decline of 5 million this year.

  • +3
XtremeBG badskywalker (on 24 October 2023)

As you said it, we get to around 5M with the decline. I am saying somewhere around 15M. Yes I can't say because of the previous years, however it's something to take into consideration, the last 3 years were 28.5, 24, 19, so if we follow the path even if 5M is too much, at least 4M will be there for the decline which again lead us to 15M. Also if normal months decline then the holiday will decline compare to the previous ones too. Be sure of that. Also keep in mind that the previous months didn't decline with what they would cuz of the boost from zelda, however with every sold unit the market get saturated more and more, where in one point it will just give up. Well obviously not from today to tomorrow, but once a decline has begun even 20-25% per year, you pretty much can't stop and the process becomes just bigger and faster over time. The only exclusion is maybe PS2. However as we saw from the last 3 years and we are on the way to see with this year too, Switch is not doing PS2 pace (where drop 20% and then sold almost the same for 3 years, then drop again once 20% and then again selling the same for about 2-3 more years).
Switch is doing something aroung 15M this year, like it or not. Again, holidays take a hit too. Keep that in mind.

  • +1
Bumblaster (on 23 October 2023)

But at a minimum a new 140+ million category shall be created.

  • +2
siebensus4 (on 24 October 2023)

Switch is now falling below 200k for a couple of weeks. Still not bad. 3DS sold 150k on average in its best years.

  • 0
LivncA_Dis3 (on 24 October 2023)

Xbox again can't compete with it's one and only competition,
Time to sack Spencer after all these years...

  • 0