PS5 Dominates, NS and XS Sales Fall to Record Lows - Worldwide Hardware Estimates for May 2025 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 09 July 2025 / 17,128 Views
The PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console worldwide with 731,994 units sold for May 2025, according to VGChartz estimates. The PlayStation 5 has now sold an estimated 76.31 million units lifetime worldwide.
The Nintendo Switch sold an estimated 335,946 units to bring its lifetime sales to 150.69 million units. The Xbox Series X|S sold 137,320 units to bring their lifetime sales to 33.12 million units.
May 2025 was the worst month for the Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X|S. The previous worst month was April 2025 for both consoles with the Switch selling 350,417 units during that month and the Xbox Series X|S selling 205,866 units.
PS5 sales compared to the same month for the PS4 in 2018 are down by over 174,000 units, while the Xbox Series X|S compared to the same month for the Xbox One are down by over 195,000 units. PS4 sold 906,073 units for the month of May 2018 and Xbox One sales were at 332,401 units.
PlayStation 5 sales compared to the same month a year ago are down by 116,313 (-13.7%). Xbox Series X|S sales are down by 87,629 units (-39.0%) and Nintendo Switch sales are down by 319,486 units (-48.7%).
Looking at sales month-on-month, PlayStation 5 sales are up by over 60,000 units, Xbox Series X|S sales are down by nearly 69,000 units, and Nintendo Switch sales are down by over 14,000 units.
2025 year-to-date, the PlayStation 5 has sold an estimated 4.27 million units, the Nintendo Switch has sold 2.07 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S has sold 1.13 million units.
Monthly Sales:
Global hardware estimates for May 2025 (Followed by lifetime sales):
- PlayStation 5 - 731,994 (76,307,090)
- Switch - 335,946 (150,693,454)
- Xbox Series X|S - 137,320 (33,116,683)
- PlayStation 5 - 269,735
- Switch - 88,067
- Xbox Series X|S - 86,189
- PlayStation 5 - 268,745
- Switch - 81,662
- Xbox Series X|S - 36,007
- PlayStation 5 - 171,082
- Switch - 154,614
- Xbox Series X|S - 7,479
- PlayStation 5 - 22,432
- Switch - 7,603
- Xbox Series X|S - 7,275
Weekly Sales:
Global May 10, 2025 hardware estimates:
- PlayStation 5 - 177,798
- Switch - 91,810
- Xbox Series X|S - 38,372
Global May 17, 2025 hardware estimates:
- PlayStation 5 - 175,274
- Switch - 85,018
- Xbox Series X|S - 35,851
Global May 24, 2025 hardware estimates:
- PlayStation 5 - 176,458
- Switch - 82,084
- Xbox Series X|S - 31,980
Global May 31, 2025 hardware estimates:
- PlayStation 5 - 202,464
- Switch - 77,034
- Xbox Series X|S - 31,117
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 follow the author on Bluesky.
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Will June be a 4 or 5 week month?
5 week month. Dates are June 1 to July 5. I hope to get Japan June estimates posted next Tuesday or Wednesday.
So, generally speaking — I mean compared to the previous year — are we really seeing a decline in console gaming?
I know there can be occasional drops and spikes, but I’m trying to understand the overall trend.
Sure, revenue is up, but that’s partly due to rising prices here and there.
So isn’t that just a smokescreen?
Good question.
My personal opinion, looking at pure data:
The console business is growing steadily, but not exploding - it is now a mature market based on digital sales and subscription services, while hardware cycles continue to cause noticeable fluctuations.
Currently, we experience(d) three heavily healthy console iterations even when only looking at hardware sales: Switch, PS5.
And Switch 2. Which is projected to be as successful as the Switch. In fact, it already broke every launch record out there.
With the exception of usual fluctations, right now I personally don't perceive the console business to be even close to a decline.
Three things I see as currently volatile:
One, we're witnessing a transformation of one of the main competition, namely Xbox.
Second, on the software side in the industry, especially AAA producers very well seem to have created a critically inflated bubble, both creatively and economically.
And third, I claim that customer rights of digitally purchased games will receive a lot more spotlight both publically and legally in the upcoming 2-5 years. (I'd plead for any manufacturer to go ahead and act proactively rather than to be forced by laws.)
But this would be a different topics I suppose.
I dare to forecast that up until at least 2030, I'd rather believe 2032, the console business will do great - even if Xbox will leave its traditional segment.
If Xbox were to exit the console market, it would create an opportunity for a third hardware company to step in. It's always been difficult, but not impossible, to have that 3-way race going. I know the cries for a Dreamcast 2 would be out there, but there is just no way SEGA could ever afford financially to bring a whole console to market to compete with PS6/Switch 2.
What I could see happening is Valve doing it. Steam Deck, with the LCD screen, is only $399 and sold at a profit. Yes it's way underpowered to a PS5, but how much work would it take Valve/AMD to create one comparable to PS5, without a screen/battery/etc, sold for ~$600 ish that plays every Steam game (or well close to every Steam game)? That would be very enticing.
The calm before the storm...
PS5 gonna make it faster from 60 to 80 million than X|S is gonna make it from 25 to 35.
(Actually, it was only a spontaneous thought written down fast. I admit it, a bit sarcastic.
But now looking at the data provided, X|S need another 1.8m units to reach 35m, while global sales wager around 130k-220k monthly.
It could indeed very well be PS5 passes 60 to 80m faster than X|S gonna make it from 25 to 35.)
I've said this before and I'll say it again, sorry if I'm being annoying. But for me, the PS5's numbers are understated here. Sony reported 77.8 million in its financial report by the end of March, based on that it would take more than 3 months between shipment and sales, that doesn't make sense.
It's probably because Sony themselves stated they stockpiled PS5's early this year. Shipping more consoles doesn't mean sales would go up to reflect that especially this late in it's life.
Also sales could have been worse this month if it were not for the $50 sale and people panic buying fearing a price increase because of Xbox's price increase.
Yeah but at this rate the gap between shipped and sold is going to be over 5 million when they release their next financial report. That is ridiculous.
June should be around or over 1 million given the fact it has 5 weeks compared to 4 weeks for May and there were some promotions during the month of June. That should put PS5 up to 77.3 million to 77.4 million sold at the end of June.
PS5 shipped 2.4 million from April to June 2024. PS5 shipment numbers were down year-on-year in 3 of the 4 quarters for fiscal year 2024. Only the holiday quarter had numbers up. If shipment numbers are flat year-on-year that would be 80.2 million shipped at the end of June.
You add that up and that puts the gap around 2.8 million to 2.9 million depending on our estimates for the month and if Sony shipped the same amount as a year ago. To compare, we had the gap between sold and shipped at 2.9 million at the end of March.
Sony did reveal PS5 had sold-through 56 million in March 2024 (end of FY 2023), while there were 59.3 million shipped for a confirmed gap of 3.2 million. Page 14 - https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/IR/library/presen/business_segment_meeting/pdf/2024/GNS_E.pdf
Now if shipment data is higher than expected we will adjust our PS5 estimates up. Unless we get sell-through data again from Sony, the plan is to slowly shrink the gap between sold and shipped each quarter as sales are on the decline. We will do the same for Switch 1.
That's a very reasonable summary.
Thank you for taking your time to elaborate!
