The Most Successful Video Game Consoles So Far

• The console industry’s history is marked by innovation, rivalry, and cultural impact over four decades.

• Sony’s PlayStation 2 leads with 160M+ units sold, thanks to backward compatibility and DVD support.

• Nintendo has also manufactured a significant number of best selling consoles over the years.

The video game console industry tells a story of innovation, fierce competition and cultural transformation. Over four decades, a handful of systems have defined gaming generations by selling millions of units and shaping how people play, connect and experience digital entertainment. Here are the five most successful video game consoles in history, ranked by unit sales and game library strength.

Sony's PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling console ever made. Launched in 2000, the PS2 sold more than 160 million units worldwide, according to Sony data. The system's success stemmed from multiple factors: backward compatibility with original PlayStation games, which let users keep their existing game libraries, and its function as an affordable DVD player when that technology was still expensive.

The PS2 hosted more than 4,000 game titles, including beloved franchises such as "Grand Theft Auto," "Final Fantasy," "Metal Gear Solid" and "Gran Turismo." The console's two best-sellers, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" and "Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec," each sold 17 million copies. Total software sales for the platform exceeded 1.5 billion units globally, according to GTPlanet.

Nintendo's DS family redefined portable gaming after its 2004 launch, selling 154 million units worldwide. The dual-screen handheld appealed to both dedicated and casual gamers through its diverse game selection.

Titles like "Nintendogs" and "Brain Age" introduced millions of new players to gaming, while "Pokemon Diamond and Pearl" and "New Super Mario Bros." each sold more than 17 million copies. The DS generated 948 million software sales, according to VGChartz data.

The Switch represents Nintendo's hybrid approach to gaming, functioning as both a portable device and home console through its docking system. Since launching in 2017, the Switch has sold more than 152 million units, making it one of the fastest-selling consoles in history.

"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" and "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" each topped 20 million copies sold, while "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" surpassed 60 million units to become one of gaming's best-sellers. Switch software sales have exceeded 1.2 billion units. Nintendo recently announced the Switch 2 as the console's successor.

Nintendo's original Game Boy, launched in 1989, pioneered successful handheld gaming. The later Game Boy Color expanded the system's capabilities while maintaining compatibility with the original library. Combined, the two consoles sold nearly 119 million units, according to Nintendo's official data.

"Tetris," bundled with the original system, became a cultural phenomenon with more than 35 million copies sold. "Pokemon Red and Blue" proved equally iconic, with combined sales exceeding 31 million units. The Game Boy family generated more than 501 million game sales and established Nintendo's dominance in portable gaming.

Sony's PlayStation 4, released in November 2013, has sold 117 million units. The company's strategy of investing in high-quality exclusive titles paid off with games like "The Last of Us Part II," "God of War" (2018) and "Marvel's Spider-Man" selling millions of copies worldwide.

The PS4 generated more than 1 billion software sales. Sony's PlayStation Network service, offering multiplayer gaming, streaming and monthly free games, contributed significantly to the console's success. The system remained popular for eight years before Sony introduced the PlayStation 5, though PlayStation Network data shows nearly half of subscribers still use PS4 systems.