The PS2 is older today than the Atari 2600 was when the former was launched, and ended selling over 5 times more. How many Playstation fans gloated about its peak years being higher than 2600? Console sales significance is dictated by the popularity and circumstances of the medium itself. PS2's 160 million impresses more in a sense than today's equivalent. NES's 60 million is much more impressive than 3DS's 75 million. And Atari 2600's 30 million crushes N64 and Xbox Series XS's totals.
A successor's failure or bumpy start don't necessarily equate to higher demand for its predecessor. Unlike the PS2, the once crazy popular DS and certainly Wii didn't have particularly high demand at the end of their generation despite the 3DS's lackluster performance and Wii U's failure. They were never going to have a PS2-like tail. And let's not forget that the "oh so awful" PS3 ended selling nearly as many units as 3DS and Wii U combined.
The Switch covered two huge markets in a time where gaming is massive, it had no competitors in the handheld space. If Soundwave were in the wrong camp (Playstation), he wouldn't be quiet about the "fake/bloated" Switch demand from COVID, and how Playstation consoles were unfairly production capped for 3 years. In my mind, the Switch is definitely the most successful platform of all time due to its record profitability. But you can't really draw meaningful comparisons between it and a super dominant platform from 25 years ago. Gaming is several times bigger today.
The PS2 is worthy of its throne. I hope it retains it for another glorious 25 years of haters being mad salty about it, whining like Gargamel, and blaming the DVD drive!
