Switch vs PS2 Sales Comparison - July 2026 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 16 September 2026 / 8,751 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: 147,223 - Switch
Gap change over last 12 months: 3,579,020 - Switch
PS2 Lead (Low End): 4,684,678
PS2 Lead (High End): 5,321,563
Switch Total Sales: 155,315,322
PS2 Total Sales (Low End): 160,000,000
PS2 Total Sales (High End): 160,636,885
July 2026 is the 113th month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for and it has sold 155.32 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 0.15 million units. In the last 12 months, the Nintendo Switch has caught up by 3.58 million units.
The Switch is 4.68 million units away from outselling the low end sales of the PlayStation 2, while it is 5.32 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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Slow and steady, but it will get there.
It really does seem like Nintendo's launching Switch 1 in India early next year as per the rumours:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3VPk9Z7ZeM
This combined with the confirmed Dec 2026 launch in Indonesia gives me hope that within the next 2 years they'll have shipped over 160 million. If their 26/27 sales goal was conservative and didnt factor in these two launches then its definitely possible.
They shipped 156.59 units by 30th June 2026 and if they reach their fiscal target they'll be on 157.92 million shipped by 31st March 2027.
It's information relevant to the post that is clearly of interest to other site visitors judging by the engagement with the post.
As for your point on importing, some people arent comfortable importing or accessing products on the grey market. The prices are usually inflated, imported consoles may ship with foreign power plugs requiring adapters and sometimes voltage converters, theres a comparative lack of customer service support, lack of warranty, lack of consumer protection. So the narrative you seem to be asserting of importing making an official launch superfluous is baseless. Lets see if the launch happens and lets see the subsequent additional sales gained from it ahead of jumping to conclusions.
Out of all posts here I dont understand why you feel so perturbed by my contribution here? Its almost as if youre irritated by me correcting you on the Gamecube turns 25 post hence me waking up to 4 replies from you on my posts? Its not that deep bro. Relax lol
They have a big grey market for games consoles in those two nations.
Most of the demand is already being met so lower those expectations a little.
I think what Nintendo is doing with getting more control over distribution, and expanding official distribution over India, Indonesia, and other South East Asian nations is good. I think it will be more helpful when Switch 2 is becoming more affordable in two years or so, and those markets will slow the decline of sales after the Switch 2 peak.
Seems a bit late to have an impact with Switch now.
I still say Sony made up the most recent PS2 sales numbers out of spite.
go switch (more population today!!!) the Ps2 is my favorite all time
I don't see how it can exceed 160.6 million, let alone 159. Losing the EU market will be a massive loss in 2027 that a formal release in India (where people who wanted it found ways to purchase it) cannot replace. I think lifetime sales of 158.5 to 159 million are a more realistic expectation. I also don't think Nintendo will think twice about dropping the console globally before the end of 2027 to assist the focus on Switch 2. For them, new hardware sales are not going to materially affect software sales positively. The Switch 1 already has a fantastic customer base to maintain strong software sales for at least another 3 years.
2027: Nintendo drops the Switch Mini... Its the size of the PS Vita and only cost $150
Ships 10M and secures the number 1 spot for the next several generations lol
That would sell well. Switch Lite is a decently small size but a really small Switch for cheap would be awesome. I'm just skeptical it would be under $200 with compressing the specs into a smaller size when Switch Lite has been $200 (and more) for so long.
they should make a Switch Home, a tiny $100 box with the Switch insides in it, that would sell to get to the number
no way Nintenod woudl run the risk of cannibalizing Switch 2 sales like that, though it would be cool if they released maybe some sort of special 10th Anniversary SKU/bundle/discount.
you're not cannibalizing switch 2 sales, i'm talking about a switch 1 box
I have a feeling that approximately 3 million more Switch units will be shipped before it is finally discontinued.
I was wondering.. Do you think that a possible delay for the release of the PS6/Project Helix can help the Switch 1 somehow? I know that, at first, these products don't compete directly, but, I think that, as soon as they reach the market, Nintendo will want to be even more competitive with the Switch 2, which could lead them to abandon the Switch 1 for good
there's a PC GPU possible delay (though they always say that, the media, every generation), I don't think the consoles are delayed at all, in fact their higher performance justifies the higher prices that are required from ram and storage costs, so they would prefer to launch earlier, not later
remember the PC gpus can be used for AI, the console ones cannot, there is no reason to delay
It's about the price tag, you are underestimating how small the pool of people willing to drop $1000+ on a console is.
silicon costs are not that high
also the most people willing to pay $1000 are in the first year, so do it then, and then lower the price later
The prediction that the switch lifetime sales will surpass the PS2, will be around late 2027, early to mid 2028.
However, Nintendo will stop selling the original switch and its variations in the UK and Europe by mid February 2027. There will be a new EU rule that will apply to all portable electronics, that has a battery weight under 5kg. The rule is to have all these portable electronics have a battery that can be easily removed by the user, and replaced. The battery cannot be sealed, not glued and no screws. It has to be made so the user can pop of a lid and remove the battery. If there are screws, then they have to ship the required screwdriver with it.
No software is allowed to prohibit it, so it allows 3rd party batteries. And repairs must be made easy. Parts must be made easily attainable. This doesn't apply to phones but they'll have a different law that allows 3rd party batteries, has to be dust proof and can be fully submerged under water. Can easily be repaired. No software blocks and has battery health checks. And must be at 80% battery at 1000 passes. Currently we see 80% at 500 passes.
Where the switch 2 is concerned. Nintendo will be releasing a new model for this law so you will be able to easily swap out a switch 2 battery for a new one. Particularly handy if the game can go intp a sleep mode., so you can swap if you have spare charged ones. Will be a nice feature if Nintendo can do it.
So this law is only for the manufacturers and supply line. It will not effect retailers who bought stock before this date, so thet can continue to sell the switch after the date, and ut doesn't effect the used market either. So anyone thinking there may be a huge price reduction, im sorry to burst your bubble, as retail can still sell them at the normal price.
