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Switch vs PS4 in the US Sales Comparison - Switch Lead Grows in July 2020

This monthly series compares the aligned US sales of the Nintendo Switch and the PlayStation 4.

Switch Vs. PS4 US:

Gap change in latest month: 60,589 - Switch

Gap change over last 12 months: 3,233,583 - Switch

Total Lead: 2,253,467 - Switch

Switch Total Sales: 20,924,285

PS4 Total Sales: 18,670,818

July 2020 is the 41st month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for. During the latest month, the gap in the US between the Switch and PlayStation 4 grew in favor of the Switch when you align launches. The Switch sold 60,589 more units than the PS4 in the last month. In the last 12 months the Switch has grown its lead by 3.23 million units. The Switch currently leads by 2.25 million units.

The PS4 launched in the US on November 15, 2013, while the Switch launched on March 3, 2017. Therefore, the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup, which is why there are big increases and decreases.

The 41st month on sale for the Switch is July 2020, while for the PS4 it is March 2017. The Switch has sold 20.92 million units, while the PS4 sold 18.67 million units during the same timeframe. The PS4 did not reach the current Switch sales until month 49 where it sold a total of 21.96 million units.

The PS4 has been available for 81 months in the US and has sold 33.79 million units. The Switch is currently 12.87 million units behind the lifetime sales of the PS4.

The PS4/Vita situation kinda showed that even Sony can't provide an adequate stream of software to two different devices at once now that games are as advanced as they are currently. I can't see them trying a hybrid, they'll probably just concede Japan and settle for being a minor player there.

I was thinking more along the lines of Sony trying to make their next console (PS6) a hybrid and they take their crack at it. But in order for them to have any reasonable shot at making a hybrid that could compete with Switch 2 or 3 depending on the timetable, they have to make a lot of sacrifices in one of two areas: Price or hardware.

1) Sacrificing Price: To have a PS6 that has the graphical/generational leap that one would expect from a next generation console ON TOP of being a hybrid, would require A LOT of manufacturing costs and resources that will jack up the price to absurd degrees. I'm talking $799-899 US retail price, minimum. And a hybrid that powerful would drain the battery like a MF'er, so it would just be used as a console anyways since noone would want to take it out of the dock. Unless Sony felt like losing hundreds of dollars on manufacturing like they did with the PS3, there's no way they would be able to compete at that price. And this is all assuming it'll even be possible by 2027 or whenever PS6 launches. 

2) Sacrificing Power: The more reasonable route would be to sacrifice graphical capabilities and scale back so that they could keep manufacturing costs, and be extension, the retail price, reasonable. But then that would eliminate the biggest advantage they have over Nintendo; Graphics. But then, they'd be losing THAT crowd to Microsoft, so Sony would be at a disadvantage on both sides. Losing the console/graphics battle to Microsoft and losing the handheld battle to Nintendo.

It'd basically be the DS vs PSP, 3DS vs Vita all over again.

To work as a portable they would have to sacrifice power, and with so much of their userbase accustomed to getting competitive graphics on Playstation, I don't think that's a move most of their fans would accept. They'd be effectively losing a big chunk of their global audience just to improve sales in one country, which just doesn't make sense.

I'm sure a better supported (with PS4 slim specs) handheld can sell at least 15-20 million outside Japan, they will then need to target at least another 15 million in Japan. A 30-40 million seller handheld doesn't look bad at all to me. If people are buying and playing The Witcher 3 just fine on Switch I think a PS4 portable can sells ok 

The question is whether Sony bother or not to have another PSVita that is successful domestically and not that successful overseas.

JP-focused games aren't exactly jaw-dropping in graphical department, JP fans (target of this possible portable) won't complain to get a downgraded portable version of future PS5 Monster Hunter, Dragon Quest, Persona, Final Fantasy or Nier. In reality I don't even think those games really need a huge downgrade, just a bit lower resolution and a 30 FPS and they must run smoothly (the exception is the new FF that really will try to push strong in graphical side)

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Switch vs 3DS and Wii U in the US Sales Comparison - Switch Lead Tops 3 Million in July 2020

This monthly series compares the aligned US Nintendo Switch sales with the combined Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U sales.

Switch Vs. 3DS and Wii U USA:

Gap change in latest month: 292,009 - Switch

Gap change over last 12 months: 3,430,658 - Switch

Total Lead: 3,159,311 - Switch

Switch Total Sales: 20,924,285

3DS and Wii U Total Sales: 17,764,974

July 2020 is the 41st month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for in the US. During the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the Switch when compared to the combined sales of the 3DS and Wii U during the same timeframe by 292,009 units. In the last 12 months, the gap has grown in favor of the Switch by 3.43 million units. The Switch is currently ahead of the 3DS and Wii U by 3.16 million units.

The 3DS launched in March 2011 in the US and the Wii U launched in November 2012, while the Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017. The holiday periods between the Switch and 3DS lineup, however, the Wii U holiday is offset from the Switch.

The 41st month for the Nintendo Switch is July 2020, for the Nintendo 3DS it is July 2014 and for the Wii U it is March 2016. The Switch has sold 20.92 million units, while the 3DS and Wii U have sold 17.76 million units during the same timeframe. The 3DS and Wii U did not reach current Switch sales until month 54, when they sold a combined 20.95 million units.

The 3DS and Wii U have sold a combined 29.19 million units in the US. The Switch is currently 8.27 million units behind. The Wii U has been off the market for a few years, while the 3DS is still on the market. However, 3DS sales have shrunk considerably and is selling well under 5,000 units per week.

So many of these comparisons have inevitable outcomes at this point. When I add in a bunch of new ones with the PS5 and Xbox Series X I'll be dropping some of the current ones. Not sure which ones yet. 

Yeah true. Still interesting to see when the inevitable happens. 

For future ones I am thinking:

• XSX vs PS5
• XSX vs Switch
• XSX vs Xbox One
• XSX vs Xbox 360
• PS5 vs Switch
• PS5 vs PS4
• PS5 vs PS3

Yeah true. Still interesting to see when the inevitable happens. 

For future ones I am thinking:

• XSX vs PS5
• XSX vs Switch
• XSX vs Xbox One
• XSX vs Xbox 360
• PS5 vs Switch
• PS5 vs PS4
• PS5 vs PS3

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Switch vs Xbox One in the US Sales Comparison - Switch Less Than 8 Million Behind in July 2020

This monthly series compares the lifetime US sales of the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.

Switch Vs. Xbox One US:

Gap change in latest month: 393,752 - Switch

Gap change over last 12 months: 5,228,430 - Switch

Total Lead: 7,749,728 - Xbox One

Switch Total Sales: 20,924,285

Xbox One Total Sales: 28,674,013

July 2020 is the 41st month that the Nintendo Switch has been available for in the US. During the latest month, the gap shrunk in favor of the Switch by 393,752 units when compared to the Xbox One. In the last 12 months, the Switch has caught up to the lifetime sales of the Xbox One in the US by 5.23 million units. The Switch is currently 7.75 million units behind the Xbox One in the US.

The Xbox One launched in November 2013, while the Nintendo Switch launched worldwide in March 2017. The Switch has sold 20.92 million units, while the Xbox One has sold 28.67 million units.

If you were to align the launches of the two consoles in the US the Switch would be ahead by 4.38 million units, as the Xbox One had sold 16.54 million units through 40 months.