The ranking of the most popular and best-selling video game consoles of all time reveals much more than just numbers. These machines have marked the history of video gaming through their innovation, accessibility, and also their place in global popular culture. Today, we explore this exceptional ranking by addressing:
- The reasons why certain consoles like the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS reached phenomenal worldwide sales.
- The technical features and cultural impact that explain their lasting success.
- How these consoles have shaped the video game landscape and influenced generations of players.
- Key figures illustrating the strength of brands like Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox in this field.
- The essential role of iconic video games that accompanied these devices and allowed them to remain iconic.
Throughout the sections, we will break down this ranking, the remarkable innovations associated with it, as well as the promising future of the sector with new generations of consoles expected. Let’s dive into this captivating universe where technology, marketing, and passion brilliantly intertwine.
- 1 PlayStation 2: the best-selling video game console and its keys to success
- 2 Nintendo DS: a phenomenal success with an innovative approach to portable gaming
- 3 Nintendo Switch: the hybrid video game console redefining gaming mobility
- 4 Game Boy and Game Boy Color: uncontested pioneers of portable gaming
- 5 PlayStation 4: the machine that reaffirmed Sony’s place in gaming
PlayStation 2: the best-selling video game console and its keys to success
The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling console of all time, with an impressive total of over 155 million units sold. Launched in 2000 by Sony, it revolutionized the video game market with a combination of technological innovation and a remarkable catalogue of titles.
This success is firstly explained by its multifunction concept. Integrating a DVD player, the PS2 became more than just a console, offering a multimedia device appreciated from the early 2000s when DVD players were still a novelty. This dual functionality greatly expanded its audience, appealing both to gamers and family entertainment fans.
Another major advantage lies in its compatibility with original PlayStation games, allowing players to keep their existing library. Its catalogue exceeds 3,800 titles, encompassing essential franchises like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Final Fantasy X, God of War, and Shadow of the Colossus. This diversity attracted fans of action, adventure, as well as Japanese RPGs.
The power of its Emotion Engine processor enabled advanced graphics for the time, while also initiating the era of online games, rare at this stage in video game history. Its longevity is another kind of record, with production continuing until 2013, amounting to thirteen years on the market. This durability record clearly reflects its impact and popularity.
Sony relied on effective marketing and a sober design accessible to all audiences, which allowed the PS2 to enter many homes. The console marked a turning point in how video games established themselves as a universal, intergenerational pastime. To illustrate this success, here is a table summarizing the key figures related to the PlayStation 2 in the top video game consoles:
| Console | Worldwide sales (millions of units) | Release date | Main feature | Featured games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 2 | +155 | 2000 | Built-in DVD player, backward compatibility | GTA: San Andreas, Final Fantasy X, God of War |
The PS2 also paved the way for a new generation of consoles by confirming interest in a multifunction device, which has guided several manufacturers’ strategies today. The growing collections of video games and immersive experiences it offered continue to feed its legend over time. This console remains also an example of a successful balance between power, playability, and variety of offerings.
Nintendo DS: a phenomenal success with an innovative approach to portable gaming
Launched in 2004, the Nintendo DS closely competes with the PS2 in terms of sales, with over 154 million units sold. This portable console shook up the market thanks to an innovative approach, based on two screens including one touchscreen, and a strategy aimed at a very broad audience, beyond traditional gamers.
Its popularity is explained above all by its ability to make video games accessible to everyone. Thanks to its intuitive and interactive interface, embodied by successes such as Nintendogs, Brain Training, and Animal Crossing, it appealed far beyond classic video game enthusiasts. These titles are among those that popularized educational and social gaming on portable consoles, thus diversifying the market target.
At the same time, the Nintendo DS perfectly meets the expectations of seasoned players with major licenses like Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and Mario Kart DS. The model successfully combined a compact and robust design with satisfactory battery life, two indispensable elements for success in mobile gaming.
This device also fully exploited its Wi-Fi connectivity to create local and online multiplayer experiences even before smartphones became widespread. This fostered a friendly and community dynamic, strengthening social bonds around video gaming.
Among the key reasons for this success, here is a list summarizing the major strengths of the Nintendo DS:
- Innovative interface with dual screens and touchscreen.
- Expanded audience aimed at all ages and player profiles.
- Rich catalogue combining casual games and established franchises.
- Advanced connectivity for its time with built-in Wi-Fi.
- Robust and ergonomic design suited for mobility.
These elements explain the impressive longevity of the DS on the market, which has durably marked the trend of portable gaming at a time when Nintendo largely dominated this category, far ahead of its direct or indirect competitors.
Nintendo Switch: the hybrid video game console redefining gaming mobility
The Nintendo Switch stands out as one of the most popular video game consoles since its launch in 2017. With more than 140 million units sold, it confirms Nintendo’s expertise at innovating while meeting players’ expectations.
Its unique concept combines the power of a home console with the portability of a handheld device, offering a flexible and innovative experience. Players can switch anytime between TV-connected mode and handheld mode. This hybrid system was especially appealing in an increasingly mobile world, where usage diversity is highly valued.
The detachable Joy-Con controllers also add a social and playful aspect, facilitating local multiplayer gaming anywhere, encouraging direct interactions between friends and family. This conviviality has made the Switch popular also among casual gamers. Major exclusives have greatly contributed to this success such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. These titles guarantee a diverse and high-quality catalogue.
Although the Switch doesn’t have the raw power of competitor consoles from Sony or Microsoft, it compensates largely through ease of use, a clear interface, and a strong identity. This console has also opened doors to the indie and retro scenes, offering an expanded catalogue where small studios find great visibility.
The table below summarizes its impact and some features:
| Console | Worldwide sales (millions) | Release year | Key feature | Iconic games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | +140 | 2017 | Hybrid home/portable, detachable Joy-Con | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing |
The success of the Switch illustrates a strong trend in 2026: video game consoles adapting to contemporary lifestyles, offering freedom, versatility, and conviviality. The future looks exciting with expectations around the Switch 2, which promises to combine this flexibility with even more power, thus supporting the convergence of multimodal gaming. This context renews the debate on competition between historic and emerging players.
Game Boy and Game Boy Color: uncontested pioneers of portable gaming
The Game Boy from Nintendo, launched in 1989, remains a historic reference in the portable market thanks to its robustness, compact design, and an iconic catalogue symbolized by the legendary Tetris. More than 118 million units of the Game Boy and its combined Color version were sold, making it a historic machine with impressive commercial performance.
Besides the essential Tetris, the Game Boy hosted major titles such as Pokémon Red and Blue, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and Kirby’s Dream Land, thus representing various genres and styles of play on a tiny but powerful format. These titles contributed to the democratization of mobile gaming, creating a new experience that fits in the pocket.
Its long battery life, ease of use, and compatibility between the classic Game Boy and the Color version ensured a smooth transition and continuity of the user base. This glorious past is still respected and inspires many portable consoles today.
The table below summarizes these essential data:
| Console | Worldwide sales (millions) | Release year | Main feature | Notable games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy / Game Boy Color | +118 | 1989 / 1998 | Robustness, portability, compatibility | Tetris, Pokémon Red and Blue, Zelda Link’s Awakening |
The Game Boy paved the way for the worldwide expansion of portable gaming with massive adoption across different countries. Its influence is also measured culturally, with a strong place in gamers’ collective memory and continuous respect it inspires among players of all ages. This ranking perfectly illustrates a founding stage in the history of video gaming, both for Nintendo and the entire industry.
PlayStation 4: the machine that reaffirmed Sony’s place in gaming
With over 117 million units sold, the PlayStation 4 establishes itself as a major video game console that captivated players worldwide after its launch in 2013. Sony corrected the mistakes of the PS3 by offering a model that is both powerful, user-friendly, and well supported by a huge catalogue of sober but effective video games.
The PS4 delivered remarkable gaming experiences with titles that quickly became cult classics. Among them, The Last of Us Part II, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War (2018), and Spider-Man contributed to affirm Sony’s reputation as the king of narrative and immersive gaming.
A strong point lies in the smooth interface and the PlayStation Plus ecosystem, which encouraged online gaming, regular content releases, and player loyalty. Sony also showed great marketing skill, combining special offers and effective campaigns, notably with attractive promotions at the beginning of the year, a crucial factor today to maintain enthusiasm around an aging console.
Here is a clear summary of the features that cemented the PS4’s success:
- Technical performance optimized for its time.
- Diverse and rich game catalogue suited to demanding players.
- Connected ecosystem with an extended PlayStation Plus.
- Well-targeted marketing and promotions to retain the community.
- Clear and ergonomic user interface.
The PS4 is currently at the heart of discussions about backward compatibility and the transition to the PS6 expected in 2027. Its commercial and critical success reflects the crucial importance of offering a balance between high-performance hardware and rich video game content, a lesson taken up in the industry. To explore future trends and innovations, it is relevant to follow news about video game consoles like the PlayStation 6, which promises improved backward compatibility.
Discover the expectations around PlayStation 6 to anticipate market evolution and the future of video game consoles.
This place of the PS4 in the ranking of the best-selling consoles confirms Sony’s essential role in video game history, alongside Nintendo and Xbox, whose commercial strategies and alliances, notably the recent Microsoft acquisition of Activision, continue to reshape the sector.
