What are the best-selling game consoles in the history of video games? 2022 list

For around 47 years, the video game industry has been active and has many fans around the world. Well, this sector has had the ability to bring entertainment to hundreds of millions of homes, through the enjoyment ensured by the various existing video game consoles, which broadcast all kinds of experiences.

On the other hand, there are many anecdotes and stories that these video consoles keep, until today. Therefore, it is worth knowing certain aspects of interest around the video game chronicle; specifically, to the most legendary game consoles and also to all the generations that have existed of these.

Reason why, in this post, we want to indicate how many and what are the generations of game consoles there is until 2019. Like, the 10 most famous video game consoles and influential in this sectortaking into account its year of launch and its quantities sold, worldwide.

What have been all the generations of game consoles?

As we indicated, to understand a little about the history of video game consoles, it is necessary to know how many generations of them have existed, up to the present. To which, we limit that there are eight generations of game consoles in total.

Next, We detail the most important characteristics of each of these:

first generation

It started in the year 1972, from the launch of the Magnavox Odyssey and concluded in 1977. It was characterized by exhibiting very simple and rudimentary machines of 4 bit, specifically. It should be noted that the Magnavox Odyssey sold around 330 thousand units and the other most famous video game console was Nintendo Color TV Game that was able to distribute three million sets.

second generation

It is the generation of game consoles that began from 1976 and 1977, once the Fairchild Channel was launched. However, the Atari 2600 It was cataloged as the most important video game console of the second generation. Which, was released to the public in 1977 and sold more than 30 million units in the world. On the other hand, this generation ended between 1980 and 1983.

third generation

Like the previous generation, this one was characterized by presenting machines of 8 bit. Thus, the third generation was a phase in the history of video games that began from the year 1983 when the NES console was presented by the renowned Japanese company Nintendo. In addition to this, SEGA launched its first video game console in Japanese territory and it was called “Sega Mark III”but commercially, they knew it as “Sega Master System”.

fourth generation

At this point in the history of game consoles, slot machines are known 16 bitsuch as the Super Nintendo Mega Drive and Super Nintendo which, respectively, were published in the year 1988 and 1990. It should be noted that this generation start in 1987 and end in 1993.

On the other hand, during those years there was a period of intense commercial war between SEGA and Nintendo; why it is also called “The War of the Consoles” either “War of the Bits”.

fifth generation

spanned a period between the years 1993 and 1998that is to say, there were five years in which machines of 32 bit and therefore, it was also a generation identified as the “32-bit era”. In this sense, it is an era of video consoles that meant the transition from 2D to three-dimensional 3D environments and mainly, it unveiled a Fujitsu proposal called “FM Towns Marty”. In addition, the consoles of 64 bit.

sixth generation

Among 1998 and 2005, the video game consoles that emerged belonged to the sixth generation, which is one of the most important, since it is found at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. Thus, in 1998, they launched the famous Sega Dreamcast and the most successful of allwas the one that appeared in the year 2000 as a Sony creation, known as “PlayStation 2”.

seventh generation

It refers to the penultimate generation of video game consoles in the world, which remained between the years 2005 and 2012. In this way, it is characterized by presenting different proposals by Nintendo, Sony and even Microsoft. One of the most important machines of the seventh generation, it is based on the Xbox 360 released in 2005, like the Playstation 3 published in 2006 and the Wii which also arose in that year.

eighth generation

We finish this list, with the eighth generation of video consoles that is in a period between the years 2012 and 2016. During these four years, machines such as portable game units were included and certain companies also debuted with a new video game console proposal. But, mainly, the present generation is distinguished by publishing the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U.

List of the best-selling video game consoles in the history of the industry

Now, if you want to know the most legendary video game consoles in all of history from 1977 to 2016, you have reached the indicated section of the post.

We detail below 10 of the best-selling game consoles in the industry:

Playstation 2

Launch year: 2000. Number of units sold: 160 million

With 160 million units sold, this Sony console has the highest number of units sold worldwide and for that reason, so far, no other has managed to surpass it. In this sense, the PlayStation 2 or PS2 had one of the most varied catalogs in historywhich is why it managed to attract the attention of so many users.

In this way, it offered different proposals to players of all kinds, based on memorable and unforgettable experiences. Reason why, even though it is discontinued, many users look for emulators to get the same gaming experience. It is worth distinguishing that the PS2 generated the collapse of the Nintendo company for a generation.

nintendo ds

Launch year: 2004. Number of units sold: 154.02 million

In second place on the list, we place the video game console created, designed and published by Nintendo at early 21st century. Being this, the second best-selling video game machine in history, until now and especially, because it was a portable that could easily revolutionize the video game industry.

Thus, the Nintendo DS introduces the dual screen concept and thanks to that, with its motto “Touch Generation”obtained a real success in hundreds of countries of the world.

Taking into account that, additionally, it provided various games suitable for all tastes; because it contained everything from classic sagas to video games adapted to their tactile capabilities.

Game Boy/Game Boy Color

Year of release: 1989/1998, respectively. Number of units sold: 118.69 million

It consists of the third best-selling console to run video games of the history and another of the best successes of the Nintendo company. Taking into account that the Game Boy was the first proposal with which Nintendo managed to exceed 100 million consoles sold and was widely accepted by the public of all ages.

In addition to this, the Game Boy also offered an extensive catalog of games and one of the most famous of these, without a doubt, was the series The Legend of Zelda (such as: Pokémon and Super Mario Land). In short, it was one of the first laptops with the best deliveries and one that left more memories for users of Nintendo game consoles.

Playstation 4

Launch year: 2013. Number of units sold: 102.80 million

The PS4 is one of the newest video game consoles in the video game industry, because belongs to the eighth and last generation. Being this, a proposal from Sony with which it also revolutionized the market and because of it, it was the torment of the rivals of this company, especially for Microsoft. Considering that, it couldn’t beat the PlayStation 4 with its Xbox One and in the case of Nintendo, it showed competition with its Switchbut it also failed to surpass the PS4.

Currently, this game console has not been discontinued and for this reason, it is estimated that the number of units sold may increase significantly in the remainder of 2019 and throughout 2020. Because many users were delighted with this machine that offers very varied and updated catalogscompared to other alternatives.

psone

Release year: 1994. Number of units sold: 102.49 million

It is considered another of the proposals launched by Sony with greater success and with more units sold, this being the fifth most distributed game console around the world. which is also known as “PlayStation” and it came about after an attempt by Sony and Nintendo together that was completely frustrated.

So, only Sony took a step forward and published this machine that it was the first stone for the hegemony of said company in the entertainment and video game industry.

Among other details, the video console has exclusive games that have been developed by the same Sony studios and as one of the most iconic, is the Gran Turismo. On the other hand, the PSOne provided a very striking catalog that is made up of works of interest such as Final Fantasy, for example.

Wii

Launch year: 2006. Number of units sold: 101.63 million

Starting with this console, Nintendo opted for a business model in which there was no direct competition, since it decided to take a completely different course for attract new audience and take the lead over Sony. Reason why, the Wii presents the peculiarity of a movement control and a groundbreaking controlwhich had not been seen on any other machine before.

In addition to this, Nintendo noticed bet on the gameplay with Wii, instead of accessing the charts. In this way, the present video console started a new contemporary system and managed to obtain many clients around the world, for which the company managed to sell more than 101 million units during its life cycle, obtaining an immediate success at the level of hardware, peripherals and catalog of titles.

Playstation 3

Launch year: 2006. Number of units sold: 87.40 million

It is a Sony video game console that is also called “PS3” and is considered the seventh best-selling console of all time. Being a proposal presented to the public in order to bring down the new Nintendo machines at the time and also in order to overcome a great setback in sales that occurred in the Sony company.

That is why the PlayStation 3 managed to star in a remarkable comeback and with this, in his generation, he was able to find second place among all the machines released during the time. So, only Wii was the one who could overcome it. Among its best features, we find that Sony studios designed an exclusive and powerful catalog of games for this console.

Xbox 360

Launch year: 2005. Number of units sold: 85.50 million

It is a native Microsoft video game console which we rank eighth in terms of the best-selling machines in history, to date. Among its main details, we note that it was classified as an excellent bet to create an attractive system from all its parameters, that is, around to the exclusivity of their gamesits easy development and even a quality online system.

From the beginning and with its great recognition, Xbox 360 did not decline at any time, until the end of its generation. Added to this, had the ability to successfully compete against the Sony systemdespite the fact that most of the titles were related to the company’s consoles and it seemed almost impossible to knock them off the podium.

playstation portable

Launch year: 2004. Number of units sold: 82 million

It is considered one of the most traditional Sony game consoles of all, being so the ninth best-selling console worldwide. Which, in its time, managed to establish itself quickly and in the best way, in the video game sector. Above all, because I leave aside the proposals for desktop machines and I bet on the field of laptopswith which he could mount the competition to Nintendo.

For its part, one of the best features of the also known as PSP, is that was accompanied by titles of great renown, among which we find: Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, GTA and many others that are summarized in a worthy and enviable catalog. However, Sony was vastly outmatched around its PSP, due to the greater reception revealed by the Nintendo DS with its disproportionate success.

GameBoy Advance

Launch year: 2001. Number of units sold: 81.51 million

To finalize this ranking of the 10 best-selling game consoles in the industry, we place Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance in tenth place, which debut at the beginning of the 21st century. Being, in this way, a machine that was active for six years and in just that time, showed great acceptance by an audience of all agesachieving more than 81 million sales worldwide.

For his part, I am remarkably successful in being a model with a folding and backlit screen that caught the attention of a large number of customers and Nintendo fans. It should be noted that this console also is known as GBA and in reference to its video games, it has consecrated sagas such as: Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Mario with optimized graphics, Final Fantasy and other titles of great interest.

Ranking of the best-selling game consoles from 2005 to 2020