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PS5 Best-Seller, Switch Tops 140M Lifetime - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for May 2024

PS5 Best-Seller, Switch Tops 140M Lifetime - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for May 2024 - Sales

by William D'Angelo , posted on 09 July 2024 / 7,427 Views

The PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console worldwide with 813,907 units sold for May 2024, according to VGChartz estimates. The PlayStation 5 has now sold an estimated 58.78 million units lifetime worldwide.

The Nintendo Switch sold an estimated 592,532 units to bring its lifetime sales to 140.45 million units. The Xbox Series X|S sold 233,149 units to bring their lifetime sales to 28.74 million units. The PlayStation 4 sold an estimated 4,237 units to bring its lifetime sales to 117.18 million units.

PS5 sales compared to the same month for the PS4 in 2017 are down by nearly 311,000 units, while the Xbox Series X|S compared to the same month for the Xbox One are down by nearly 86,000 units. PS4 sold 1,124,866 units for the month of May 2017 and Xbox One sales were at 318,867 units.

PlayStation 5 sales compared to the same month a year ago are down by 180,730 (-18.2%). Xbox Series X|S sales are down by 96,618 units (-29.3%) and Nintendo Switch sales are down by 870,547 units (-59.5%). The PlayStation 4 is down by 12,871 units (-75.2%) year-over-year. 

Looking at sales month-on-month, PlayStation 5 sales are down by over 11,000 units, Xbox Series X|S sales are up by over 25,000 units, and Nintendo Switch sales are down by over 35,000 units.

2024 year-to-date, the PlayStation 5 has sold an estimated 5.97 million units, the Nintendo Switch has sold 3.72 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S has sold 1.52 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 May 2024 (Followed by lifetime sales):

  1. PlayStation 5 - 813,907 (58,776,134)
  2. Switch - 592,532 (140,454,214)
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 233,149 (28,740,390)
  4. PlayStation 4 - 4,237 (117,176,217)
Americas (US, Canada, Latin America) hardware estimates for May 2024:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 289,885
  2. Switch - 136,494
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 131,095
  4. PlayStation 4 - 918
Europe hardware estimates for May 2024:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 300,126
  2. Switch - 158,473
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 68,592
  4. PlayStation 4 - 2,618
Asia (Japan, mainland Asia, Middle East) hardware estimates for May 2024:
  1. Switch - 285,809
  2. PlayStation 5 - 199,205
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 22,085
  4. PlayStation 4 - 622
Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) hardware estimates for May 2024:
  1. PlayStation 5 - 24,691
  2. Switch - 11,756
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 11,377
  4. PlayStation 4 - 79

Weekly Sales:

Global May 11, 2024 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 202,721
  2. Switch - 150,156
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 55,647
  4. PlayStation 4 - 1,261

Global May 18, 2024 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 189,127
  2. Switch - 142,891
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 55,144
  4. PlayStation 4 - 833

Global May 25, 2024 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 197,609
  2. Switch - 151,304
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 59,645
  4. PlayStation 4 - 877

Global June 1, 2024 hardware estimates:

  1. PlayStation 5 - 224,450
  2. Switch - 148,181
  3. Xbox Series X|S - 62,713
  4. PlayStation 4 - 1,266

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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23 Comments
xXMatapuercas3000Xx (on 09 July 2024)

PlayStation 5 down 311k compared to PS4 during same time year is kinda crazy

  • +5

PS4 was 300$ at this point in it's life. PS5 costs way more than that

  • 0

All 3 platforms need a price cut, but I guess the margins aren't growing so they can't unless they want to lose money per console sold. I think Nintendo will still make profit on the Switch if they drop it by $50. Sony and Microsoft probably would lose money even if they did a $50 drop. I also think demand for the PS5 and Xbox Series are just dying down in general.

  • +3

Yes demand has temporarily dropped because we have been going through a dry spell in game releases. I think for the PS5 it will turn around once the Pro and Astrobot launch though.

  • +2
halil23 Hardstuck-Platinum (on 10 July 2024)

Don't forget the biggest factor - GTA6

  • 0

The Pro didn't really help PS4 that much, and I doubt it will help the PS5 cause that will most likely cost $600+. Also, Astrobot isn't a console seller.

  • 0

It will sell amazing. Never underestimate the popularity of the PlayStation brand

  • -3

Also, PS4 had EXCLUSIVES
Not ports, remakes, or Xbox games.

  • -1
Geralt99 (on 09 July 2024)

Switch lead over PS5- 81.67 M
PS4 lead over PS5- 58.32 M
PS5 lead over xbox series- 30.04 M

  • +5
Lukas85 (on 10 July 2024)

Switch at 600k almost, not too behind ps5. Switch is still doing very well and killing it in asia, i think nintendo will achieve its 15 million prediction

  • +4
jvmkdg (on 09 July 2024)

I don't want to question trunkswd. But the ps5 number seems low to me. Sony disclosed that it shipped 59.3 million in March, it would take almost 3 months to reach that number in sales to the end consumer ?

  • +1
xMetroid jvmkdg (on 09 July 2024)

They could be undertracking, but also Sony maybe pushed to ship more units to not fail their FY target. Sales have been declining a lot in the past few months too

  • 0
trunkswd jvmkdg (on 09 July 2024)

Sony has sell-through for PS5 at 56M at the end of the last fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2024. They are most likely rounding considering they have the figures at 7M for FY20, 18M for FY21, 35M for FY22, and 56M for FY23. Even with rounding that would still mean below 57M at the end of March. Sony likely overshipped to get as close to their forecast as possible.

Source: Page 14 https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/IR/library/presen/business_segment_meeting/pdf/2024/GNS_E.pdf

  • +8
jvmkdg trunkswd (on 09 July 2024)

Now it all makes sense. I found it strange that sony still hasn't disclosed that the ps5 has sold 60 million. So I believe Sony shipped few consoles in this fiscal quarter.

  • +1
trunkswd jvmkdg (on 09 July 2024)

If the past is anything to go by they will announce 60M sold 1 to 2 weeks after it hit the milestone.

  • 0
I-mar (on 09 July 2024)

PS5 continues to kick Switch and XSX assess worldwide.

  • -7
Hardstuck-Platinum I-mar (on 09 July 2024)

Yes and It's nice to see the fanboyism on this site dying down as a result of it

  • -6

I don't think we have fanboyism here on VGChzartz

  • +4

Really? What about all the comments claiming PS portal was a waste of space and would fail? Everyone said it before giving it a chance,

  • -3
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Lukas85 Hardstuck-Platinum (on 10 July 2024)

And it was, you call truth fanboyism

  • +3
NintendoEternity I-mar (on 09 July 2024)

Last I checked, it was Nintendo Switch about to OUTSELL the ps2, not the ps5 lol.

  • +7
xXMatapuercas3000Xx I-mar (on 11 July 2024)

My man, Nintendo Switch is a 7+ years old console.

  • +3