Even if it does hit those levels, it's hard to compare apples to apples because Switch appeals to 2 markets at the same time, it's both a handheld and a console while at the same time there is no other Nintendo Handheld which has always been their bread and butter.

@RpgSama. Exactly. Plus, that total includes the Switch Lite sales which is NOT a console at all! You cannot dock it and play it on your TV, so it should not be classified as a console. Take the Switch Lite out of the equation and that total looks a lot different.

@RPgSama ,
Didn’t the PS2 appeal to more than one market? Didn’t many buy it just to get a DVD player that also plays games? We shouldn’t diminish the accomplishments of either console. People’s reasoning for buying it doesn’t matter. .

Stop making excuses. The Switch potentially outselling the PS2 doesn't take away from its legacy and success. You remind me the the people that tried to downplay the Wii because it outsold the HD twins. Gamers twisted themselves in knots making yeah but arguments to discredit the Wii.

@ZeekQuattro

Name one thing I said that was inaccurate. I'm not making excuses and frankly, I really don't care. But it's the truth. The Switch Lite is not a home console.

The switch lite came out two years after the launch of the Switch, which wS already selling like hotcakes.

Plus, factor in that at launch the PS2 didn’t have any real competition. Sega was floundering. Nintendo while always there wasn’t up to the challenge. The 3DO was a niche console. So they literally had the playing field to themselves, not to mention the 100 million the ps1 sold helped to keep people in the ecosystem. With the bonus of a brand new spanking dvd player. I remember reading many audio/video magazines that talked about the feature.
PS2 put dvds on the map.

Point being that while the PS2 didn’t have two skus at the start(they did come out with a PS2 light later), you can’t underestimate the impact of a new technology that promised so much better resolution over vhs. People ate it up.

the 7th gen was over 260m as you had a near equal split of PS3/360 that totaled over 160m alone and then add in the 100m+ of the Wii.

another thing to consider... overlap. That is where a single user has two or all three of the platforms. And with a near 50/50 split on the PS3/360 we can assume there was roughly 80-85m unique users. Some of which also bought a Wii and were part of the 100m+ it sold.

The idea that the user base is not growing has some merit. And even with the PS2 doing over 156m there are plenty who had to buy replacement units because of bad lasers just like there are those who bought replacements for PS3 YLoD and 360 RRoD and the Wii click of death.

Darthv72,

Yes, you're right about the total numbers. Way undercounted, my mistake.

On the matter overlap, I have considered that and I think there was more of a reason to do it in the past. I think we're seeing much less duplication in the modern era; far fewer exclusives these days and I think the general sentiment is "I don't need console A because it's also on B. Even if console A has this game, I can't justify buying it for one game."

But on the matter of console defects, doesn't it argue against your point?

Consoles are much more reliable now, and sales are still pretty decent in an ongoing generation. Wouldn't that indicate there are fewer second-buys? Maybe they'll have more than one in a household like Switch, but those second buyers have always existed and units are still functioning.

That’s kind of my point, it’s been known in the gen of ps3/360 Wii was supplementary to the 2. And 360 numbers were inflated due to rrod. So realistically speaking. Saying there’s been 200+ million unique gamers is false. Heck in my household alone I have 3 switches, Xbox series s and x, ps5 and soon pro.

There’s no way I’m the only “hardcore” that’s done that. Even if you said 20 million of the install base is double to triple dippers that’s 40-60million consoles attached to 20 million people.