Switch vs DS Sales Comparison - January 2026 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 04 March 2026 / 5,070 Views
The VGChartz sales comparison series of articles are updated monthly and each one focuses on a different sales comparison using our estimated video game hardware figures. The charts include comparisons between the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, as well as with older platforms. There are articles based on our worldwide estimates, as well as the US, Europe, and Japan.
This monthly series compares the aligned worldwide sales of the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo DS.
The DS launched in November 2004 in North America, December 2004 in Japan, and March 2005 in Europe, while the Nintendo Switch launched worldwide in March 2017. Therefore, the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup, which is why there are big increases and decreases.
Switch Vs. DS Global:
Gap change in latest month: 116,520 - Switch
Gap change over last 12 months: 2,401,447 - Switch
Total Lead: 121,360 - Switch
Switch Total Sales: 153,933,312
DS Total Sales: 153,811,952
January 2026 is the 107th month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for. During the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the Switch by 0.12 million units when compared to the DS during the same timeframe.
In the last 12 months, the Switch has outsold the DS by 2.40 million units. The Switch is ahead of the DS by 0.12 million units.
The 107th month on sale for the Nintendo Switch is January 2026, while for the DS it is September 2013. The Switch has sold 153.93 million units, while the DS sold 153.81 million units during the same timeframe.
The Nintendo DS sold 154.02 million units lifetime. The Nintendo Switch is currently 0.09 million units behind the lifetime sales of the DS.
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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Next time will be "Final Update".
wow, no one saw this coming when the switch released, i had it getting to number 3 all time, congrats huge success on #2 which is where you will stay. PS2 KING!
Unless we get more information that shows we've overtracked the Switch we will have it topping the DS with February's estimates.
Today DS, tomorrow PS2.
Sadly though, this day will never come. On the horizon there is new opportunity coming however.. and I am not talking about Switch 2 (that is too early to call from now), but about the PS5, it's still too early for it as well to call, but the things are going in it's favor for now, and the goal from impossible becomes a little more possible, with the recent rumors. Or in the most simple way, if until recently the possibility of this happening were 0%, now it's like 10-15%. Of course more things to happen in the future are needed to get that chance higher.
PS5 still needs to move 70mil units to hit PS2… that’s at minimum 5-7 more years of selling over 10mil units. With YoY declines as they stand, this is not realistic IMO. PS5 would either need a PokéMania late-gen spike or to last until 2032-2035 to even have a shot.
Yes. I am atill on the same boat. Howecer with the delay to 2030 possibly, its chance grew a little. Dont forget Sony has the price cut card too.
Let's hope Sony is clearer with its data in this process than when they were dealing with the PS2
If the PS5 passes 160M it'll be interesting to see in which moment Sony will declare it is company's the best-selling console. That can help us narrow down the PS2's number with more precision
Its possible. If Nintendo meet their target of 4 million for the current financial year they will have shipped 156.62 million Switchs by 31st March 2026. They just need to ship 3.4 million more and its a done deal.
Lets say the 26/27 target is 2.4 million and 27/28 like a million. All possible with continued software support and hardware production.
We'll have a very clear picture of its probability after this year's Holiday period which we'll have a report on in Feb 2027.
Its not over yet.
I recall the first time I played BotW and thought this small machine could reach 100 million. Then Odyssey, Xenoblade 2, and more arrived and I had no doubt about where we were heading.
Unfortunately, The Cliff™ will get the Switch at the last second. Sales will drop astronomically, stores will send Switch consoles back to Nintendo's HQ and the DS will remain at #2 in the best selling video game consoles
I predict that the Switch will get so many returns that Nintendo will have to bury them in. a landfill in New Mexico, and with sales minus returns, the Switch's final tally will be somwhere between the PS Vita and the Sega Saturn. Sony has never been bested by Nintendo in sales, and that's not going to start now.
I am really going to miss this chart, this was the best chart comparison we ever had.
