For the first time in 33 months, the Nintendo Switch has lost its spot as the top-selling US console. This streak has ended courtesy of a worthy competitor; Sony's PS5.
So, when did this happen? And what reasons are there that caused the PS5 to outsell the Switch? Let's drill down.
When Did the PS5 Outsell the Nintendo Switch?
According to the NPD, in a series of tweets by Mat Piscatella, the PS5 “was the best-selling hardware platform of September in both units and dollars.” Sony's flagship console is also “the best-selling hardware platform of 2021 year-to-date in dollars, while Nintendo Switch leads in units,” Piscatella mentions.
So, the PS5 outsold the Nintendo Switch in September, ending the latter's near-three-year streak as the top-selling console in the US. It's also the most profitable games console in the US in 2021, while the Switch has a lead on numbers sold.
How Did the PS5 Outsell the Nintendo Switch?
So, why has the PS5 outsold the Switch now? While the exact answers haven't come to light, two key reasons stick out.
The first is the electronic component shortage that's affecting the gaming industry and almost all electronic products since the start of the pandemic.
Earlier this year, Nintendo said that it expects Switch sales to be affected by the global chip shortage after a good sales year in 2020. Despite enjoying the short-term success of Switch purchases during the pandemic, Nintendo appears to be struggling to produce enough Switch's to sell.
That being said, Sony is in the same boat as Nintendo. However, although both manufacturers are facing production issues, we can assume that Sony might've been stockpiling more semiconductor chips in anticipation of the extreme demand that's stuck with the PS5 since its launch.
This brings us to the second potential contributor; demand.
The Switch has been around since 2017, which is plenty of time for people to snap it up. Besides that, the Switch hasn't seen a major successor. Instead, Nintendo put out the disappointing Switch (OLED), all while Valve announced the first potential competitor to the Switch in several years: the Steam Deck.
The PS5, on the other hand, hasn't reached a year into its lifespan and launched during a pandemic, meaning that stock for the console has always been extremely low. It's the successor to the PS4 and one of the two major console families in the ninth console generation, the other being the Xbox Series X/S. In terms of hardware, games, and potential, the PS5 has the Switch beat.
So, you've got the Switch, which has been out for years, hasn't seen a major upgrade, and faces an exciting new competitor against the relatively new PS5, which is arguably the most promising current-generation console. It's easy to see how demand is higher for the PS5 than the Switch. And also kind of amazing that the Switch stayed on top for this long.
PS5 or Switch? Both Are Fantastic Consoles
So, the Switch's 33-month streak has ended because of the PS5. But that doesn't mean that the Switch is a lacking console. Far from it.
There's a reason that the Nintendo Switch was the top-selling console in the US for so long, and there's a reason why the PS5 eventually outsold it. Both are fantastic consoles worthy of your consideration.