Switch 2 Sells Over 250K as LT Nears 2M - Japan Hardware Estimates for August 2025 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 25 September 2025 / 12,649 Views
The Nintendo Switch 2 was the best-selling console in Japan with 254,987 units sold for August 2025, according to VGChartz estimates. The Nintendo Switch 2 has now sold an estimated 1.95 million units lifetime in Japan.
The Nintendo Switch 1 sold an estimated 75,912 units to bring its lifetime sales to 36.00 million units. The PlayStation 5 sold an estimated 31,895 units to bring its lifetime sales to 6.98 million units. The Xbox Series X|S sold 1,336 units to bring their lifetime sales to 0.68 million units.
Switch 2 sales compared to the third month for Switch 1 in 2017 are up by 0.12 million units as the Switch 1 sold 0.13 million units in Japan in May 2017.
PS5 sales compared to the same month for the PS4 in 2018 are down by nearly 57,000 units, while the Xbox Series X|S compared to the same month for the Xbox One are up by over 800 units. PS4 sold 88,872 units for the month of August 2018 and Xbox One sales were at 500 units.
Nintendo Switch 1 sales compared to the same month a year ago are down by 157,939 units (-67.5%). PlayStation 5 sales are down by 80,391 (-71.6%) and Xbox Series X|S sales are down by 4,145 units (-75.6%).
Looking at sales month-on-month, Nintendo Switch 2 sales are down by over 124,000 units, Nintendo Switch 1 sales are up by over 17,000 units, PlayStation 5 sales are up by over 4,000 units, and Xbox Series X|S sales are up by nearly 400 units.
2025 year-to-date, the Nintendo Switch 2 has sold an estimated 1.95 million units, the Nintendo Switch 1 has sold 0.94 million units, the PlayStation 5 has sold 0.51 million units, and the Xbox Series X|S has sold 0.02 million units.
Monthly Sales:
Japan hardware estimates for August 2025 (Followed by lifetime sales):
- Switch 2 - 254,987 (1,951,396)
- Switch 1 - 75,912 (35,998,885)
- PlayStation 5 - 31,895 (6,980,574)
- Xbox Series X|S - 1,336 (683,925)
Weekly Sales:
Japan August 9, 2025 hardware estimates:
- Switch 2 - 78,959
- Switch 1 -18,370
- PlayStation 5 - 8,536
- Xbox Series X|S - 301
Japan August 16, 2025 hardware estimates:
- Switch 2 - 98,876
- Switch 1 - 18,976
- PlayStation 5 - 8,595
- Xbox Series X|S - 351
Japan August 23, 2025 hardware estimates:
- Switch 2 - 35,166
- Switch 1 - 17,962
- PlayStation 5 - 6,442
- Xbox Series X|S - 291
Japan August 30, 2025 hardware estimates:
- Switch 2 - 41,986
- Switch 1 - 20,604
- PlayStation 5 - 8,322
- Xbox Series X|S - 393
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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the Switch1 is still killing the PS5
Switch 2 continues to sell over 50% of all console sales in Japan.
Switch 1 is keeping itself strong in it to pursuit the PS2 in all time sales.
PS5's incredibly high price to the average Japanese basically solidifies it as the 2nd worst Playstation console sold in Japan, after the Vita.
And it is quite impressive how the Xbox brand has no appeal in Japan.
How is this impressive? That's how its been for the entire lifetime of the brand.
Japan doesn't really buy many American products at all... even beyond video games
The Iphone dominates the japanese market so I wouldn't say that is true. Xbox never had a good grip in the Japanese market, but they clearly stopped trying a long time ago. Putting Japan in FH6 is not what would move units in Japan. Their only first party japanese studio ever was shut down under Xbox after one game, a ggame that was loved by the people and by the critics
I dont think Nintendo Swutch will surpass the PS2. Not enough are being sold in EU and NA territories.
Do you all think the Switch can climb up to 37M in Japan?
Unrelated, but I find it funny how all top 3 best selling consoles only clamed three of four of the following: 50M in NA, 50M in Europe, 30M in Japan and 20M in RoW.
Could you elaborate more on this?
I meant that PS2, DS and Switch all did only three of the achievements. PS2 missed Japan with only 23M, DS missed RoW with only 11M and now Switch is clearly not gonna reach 50M in Europe. (With all those arbitrary marks being the highest multiple of 10M ever cleared in those territories)
Switch is not reaching 50M in US too.
ZDRExplorer said NA, not US.
I am saying one more place where Switch is not reaching one more achievemnt - 50M in the US. Just as the example for 50M in EU he gave.
I based the achievements on the Platform Totals page, so I didn't even consider that.
Oh…okay(?).
The Nintendo Switch has already sold 50 million units in the United States according to official information from Nintendo.
according to VGChartz, the sales in US are 48.2M. And I don't know what information you look at, but even if you talk shipments, those should be no more than 49M.
Definitely different culture in Japan. With not having competition it makes me wonder about the quality of games that are in Japan. Im not saying they are bad. But I hardly ever see a game from Japan that Im interested in. All the games look the same
