Sony's PlayStation 2 (PS2) is holding on to the top spot in all-time game console sales with shipments of more than 160 million units. But Nintendo's Switch is accelerating its chase after surpassing 156 million. Some expect the PS2 record, which has stood for more than 20 years since launch, could be broken soon.

According to IT media outlet Engadget on Nov. 10 local time, the Nintendo Switch had surpassed cumulative shipments of 156 million units as of June 2026. Compared with the PS2 record of more than 160 million units, the gap is at the level of several million units.

The sales figures for the two companies are based on shipments supplied to distribution channels, not units actually sold to consumers. Microsoft does not disclose official cumulative Xbox shipment totals, so related figures reflect market estimates.

Behind the PS2's ability to hold the top position for a long time were differentiated features at launch and its pricing strategy. The PS2, released in 2000, came with a built-in DVD player. As DVD adoption was expanding at the time, it drew consumer interest not only for games but also as a device for watching movies. Demand formed in which consumers bought a PS2 to play movie DVDs and then also played games.

The competitive environment was also favorable. Aside from Sega's Dreamcast, there were not many clear next-generation rivals, and Nintendo's GameCube and Microsoft's first Xbox were not released until late 2001.

A long product life and price cuts also supported the sales expansion. Sony continued producing the PS2 until 2013. The price, $299 at its U.S. launch, fell to $199 in 2002 and to $99 in 2009. That helped draw in consumers looking for a low-priced game console.

Game software sales were also overwhelming. Cumulative sales of PS2 games exceeded 1.5 billion copies. A leading hit was "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," which sold more than 17.3 million copies. "Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec" and "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" recorded sales of 14.9 million and 14.2 million copies, respectively.

Nintendo's Switch, released in 2017, succeeded with a hybrid design that broke down the boundary between handheld game devices and home consoles. It was differentiated by the ability to connect to a TV for play on a large screen or to carry the device itself for gaming. Nintendo, which had been in a slump after the Wii U's poor performance, succeeded in rebounding through the Switch.

Early on, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" drove popularity by showing the device's versatility. Nintendo later expanded consumer options by adding a Switch Lite for handheld-only play and a Switch OLED model with a larger screen, alongside the base model.

In game software sales, the Switch has already overtaken the PS2. Cumulative Switch game sales are nearing 1.6 billion copies. "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" was the biggest seller at 71.5 million copies, while "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" and "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" recorded sales of 50.3 million and 38.1 million copies, respectively.

The key question going forward is whether the Switch can actually surpass the PS2 record. Nintendo expects to ship about 2 million additional units of the existing Switch in the current fiscal year ending in March 2027. If the current sales trend continues, it could surpass the PS2 record as early as 2028. But how long Nintendo continues production and sales of the existing Switch is a variable. The timing of any record break could vary depending on when it is discontinued.

Other consoles also ranked near the top in all-time sales. Among fully portable game devices, the Nintendo DS, released in 2004, was the best seller with shipments of more than 154 million units. Its distinguishing features at the time included two screens, a stylus pen, a built-in microphone and wireless play. The Game Boy line, including the Game Boy Color, also sold more than 118 million units. In North America and Europe, a sales strategy that bundled "Tetris" also contributed to its success.

Among home consoles, the PlayStation 4 (PS4) ranked highly with shipments of 117 million units. The PS4's success was also influenced by an early strategic failure by rival Microsoft. The Xbox One faced consumer backlash after proposing a policy requiring an online check-in once a day at launch and a plan to include the Kinect camera as standard. Microsoft withdrew a substantial part of the plan before release, but the early negative perception did not easily fade.

By contrast, the PS4 improved development convenience with an AMD-based hardware architecture and secured competitiveness by promoting exclusives such as "The Last of Us Part II" and "Uncharted 4".

Other consoles in the all-time top 10 included the original PlayStation (102.4 million units), the Nintendo Wii (101.6 million units), the PlayStation 5 (more than 95 million units), the PlayStation 3 (87.4 million units) and the Xbox 360 (about 84 million units).

The gaming market environment has changed from the past. The industry's size has grown, but mobile games, PCs and subscription services are splitting users' time and spending. The fact that prices for the latest consoles are unlikely to fall sharply as in the past is also a factor limiting large-scale adoption.

Even amid these changes, the PS2 has held for nearly 26 years the record it set on the strength of its DVD player function and price competitiveness. With the Switch narrowing the remaining gap, attention is focused on whether the No. 1 spot in all-time console sales could change.