Switch vs PS2 Sales Comparison - June 2026 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 09 August 2026 / 11,961 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 monthly worldwide sales of the Nintendo Switch with the lifetime sales of the PlayStation 2.
The PS2 launched in March 2000 in Japan, October 2000 in North America, and November 2000 in Europe. The Nintendo Switch launched worldwide in March 2017.
Switch Vs. PS2 Global:
Gap change in latest month: 192,261 - Switch
Gap change over last 12 months: 3,710,425 - Switch
PS2 Lead (Low End): 4,831,901
PS2 Lead (High End): 5,468,786
Switch Total Sales: 155,168,099
PS2 Total Sales (Low End): 160,000,000
PS2 Total Sales (High End): 160,636,885
June 2026 is the 112th month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for and it has sold 155.17 million units lifetime. The PlayStation 2 sold between 160.0 million and 160.64 million units lifetime as Sony announced it sold over 160 million, while 160.64 million is the number of units manufactured.
In the latest month, the Nintendo Switch has closed the gap with the PS2 by 0.19 million units. In the last 12 months, the Nintendo Switch has caught up by 3.71 million units.
The Switch is 4.83 million units away from outselling the low end sales of the PlayStation 2, while it is 5.47 million units away from the high end.
Note: Sony announced the PS2 sold over 160 million units lifetime, while an image confirmed by Shawn Layden to be real showed there were 160,636,885 units manufactured.
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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PS2 (High End): 160,636,885
PS2 (Low End): 160,000,000
PS2 (Very Low/Guinness Record): 157,680,000
Switch (Shipments): 156,590,000
Switch (Sales): 155,168,099
PS2 (Old Data/Lowest): 155,000,000
We'll see.
I wouldn't mind also having at least the PS2 Old Data number marked on the chart. I mean, we're already on the rain, so let's get fully wet! Thanks to Sony's lack of clear data, these were the numbers we took as PS2's final numbers for a long time, so, I think it's valid putting them on the chart. We're already dealing with not definite numbers for this console after all
we have an explicit final numbered manufacturing unit. which we don't have for most products. i think a lot of companies don't even know their final serial number.
And we don't have a final numbered shipped number
I’m so looking forward to it ☺️
Switch1 has surpassed all consoles by a large margin as being the most commercially successful game console of all time. It doesn't have to sell another piece of hardware or software for this to be true.
but carry on...
Not sure, doesnt ps4 and 5 make a lot more?
Only if you think revenue is the measure of a successful business. What's more successful, the lemonade stand that made $1000 with $900 in expenses or the lemonade stand that made $600 with $100 in expenses?
In a world in which current consoles cost $500 at minimium, with expectation of this threshold increases more in the future, what do you think parents will buy to their young children in the holiday season? I see a clear niche place in the market for the Switch 1 in the era of price increases that we're living in
Yeah that is really the thing keeping the Switch alive at this point. With global price increase on S2 in a few weeks, all systems $500 - $800, while Switch Lite is at what like $220. Even though Switch is overpriced, it's enormously cheaper than anything else on the market and so still a good purchase for kids, or even adults who are very very late to the game or budget conscious and don't want to buy the overpriced S2.
Nintendo making the S2 less popular due to price (and lack of desirable new games) is helping Switch get close to PS2. Any other gen the prices of all the systems would be falling instead of rising and Switch sales would be grinding to a halt much faster.
"Nintendo making the S2 less popular due to price (and lack of desirable new games) is helping Switch get close to PS2." You can make that exact same argument against the PS2, not to mention the PS2 having a 13-year lifespan and four price cuts. Also, Nintendo already sold over 151.1 million Switch units before the Switch 2 even released. The sales pace naturally slowed significantly more after the Switch 2's launch.
Edit: To add to your reduced popularity point, the Nintendo Switch 2 is also the fastest selling video game console of all time through the first 13 months. How much more popular could it realistically have been? It seems clear that the existence of the Switch 2 is negatively impacting Switch 1's sales way more than it's "helping."
"Any other gen the prices of all the systems would be falling instead of rising and Switch sales would be grinding to a halt much faster." I agree, but falling prices would also apply to the Switch, too. Each model may have been sold for half of the original launch price by now. And there would've been a lineup of discounted first party games with Nintendo Selects as well, but the Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of games are likely making Nintendo reluctant to do that.
Nintendo is officially launching Switch 1 and 2 in Indonesia in December 2026:
https://www.nintendo.com/id/index.html
If the rumour of them also launching Switch 1 in India next year is true then Switch 1 stands a real chance of overtaking PS2
At this point, it is a coin toss whether it reaches the 160m or not. The hardware drought and Nintendo penny-pinching means we won't see any price drop for the Switch 1. And with Nintendo selling Switch 1 game upgrades, there won't be a Selects lineup that might move some late adopter sales. Still, only 5 million more to go. If Nintendo keeps the Switch 1 available for long enough, it will reach it.
Yup. Even with costs to the consumer Switch will surpass PS2 if Nintendo makes enough of them. Switch is the most popular Nintendo platform ever and you can make an argument that it is as popular if not more than PS2 despite not hitting the same units sold yet.
The ball is in Nintendo's court. If they are content to keep selling games and subscriptions and such on Switch will moving on entirely to Switch 2 they'll miss the 160 million units milestone and that is fine. Otherwise, Switch can finish around 160-164 million if enough are made.
Will Nintendo continue producing the Switch in late 2028 or later? That is all it takes. If Nintendo stops it after the 2027 fiscal year, it won't surpass it. But if there is the 2028 hollidays for the Switch and maybe more, it will surpass.
I just saw now that you've uploaded a video about it. Nice one!
Switch is reaching 158M shipments that's for sure, the Nintendo forecast for March 2027 didn't change in its last Q1 Report.
Since Sony reports sales in increments of 100,000 and announced sales of over 160.0 million for PS2, I’d say the High End is 160,099,999, but you could round it to 160.1 million.
high end was produced not sell in
It was confirmed official by Shawn Layden.
If any console deserves to outsell the ps2, it’s The Nintendo Switch, which totally deserves to be at number 1. Not only did Switch help me through a divorce (Breath of the Wild) and the pandemic (Animal Crossing New Horizons), Nintendo Switch also has Incredible Exclusives. And I mean so many incredible games. I can also play it anywhere and don’t have to worry about a failed disc drive (my original ps2). When I purchased a ps2 slim to replace the original, I only played a few games for it and of course used it to watch Horror Movies. Nintendo Switch >>>>> ps2 PERIOD. So yes, I’m Praying 🙏 and Hoping Nintendo Switch dethrones Sony’s ps2/ps2 slim.
