There’s no stopping Sony! The PlayStation 5 continues to dominate the games console market. Far ahead of Xbox and Nintendo, the Japanese manufacturer continues to be the sector leader.
The PlayStation 5 crushes the Xbox Series
In the first 116 days of 2025, Sony sold around 3.25 million PlayStation 5s, an average of 28,508 units per day. Over the same period, the Xbox Series X|S recorded significantly lower figures, with 730,000 units sold, corresponding to a daily average of 6,403 consoles. This difference confirms a trend observed since the start of this generation: 75.2 million PS5s had been shipped by April 25, 2025, compared to 32.7 million Xbox Series X|S.
Despite this significant gap, the PS5’s track record is inferior to that of the PS4. The limited number of exclusive games and the failure of Concord weighed on the console’s appeal. The launch period, complicated by constraints linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and accentuated by scalping practices (purchases by resellers), also adversely affected the console’s availability on release.
However, the imminent arrival of Grand Theft Auto VI, exclusive to game consoles in its first year, and exclusives such as Ghost of Yōtei and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach could well revitalize PS5 sales.
Nintendo: the quiet force
For its part, the Nintendo Switch continues to sell at a decent rate, with 1.63 million units sold over the same period, an average of 14,298 daily sales. This remains a remarkable result for a console launched in 2017, especially when compared to more recent models. The Switch’s longevity is all the more interesting as it prepares to make way for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo’s new console is already proving exceptionally popular. In Japan, more than 2.2 million requests have been recorded for pre-orders by lottery alone, a figure well in excess of the company’s forecasts. This impressive response suggests a promising future for the handheld console, which could well be one of the biggest launches in video game history. With its unique positioning in the hybrid segment and a solid catalog of exclusive games, the Nintendo Switch 2 looks set to build on the success of its predecessor and establish a lasting market presence.
However, the arrival on the market of numerous Windows-based handheld consoles, such as the MSI Claw or the Asus ROG Ally X, capable of running Xbox, Steam, GOG or Epic Games catalogs, could shake things up. These machines offer gamers great freedom, giving them access to a vast array of titles. Despite this, Nintendo retains a major strategic advantage: its exclusive games. Franchises such as Zelda, Mario and Animal Crossing remain essential pillars that are difficult to replace and continue to attract a large, loyal following. However, this market could become increasingly segmented.
The figures for the start of the year confirm the PlayStation 5’s dominant position in the games console market, although it is not performing as well as the PS4 in its day. The Xbox Series X|S, meanwhile, continues to encounter difficulties, even though Microsoft’s strategy is increasingly turning towards services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming on Smart TV. For its part, Nintendo continues to stand apart from the crowd, and will continue to develop its Switch ecosystem with a new model.
