Thank you for explaining this chart, I see that it is similar as each Quarter will be compared with the same months so you prevent the double helix. It does create a padding that favors whatever console you place as a "0". if you were to put the switch as a "0" (it would actually need to be -2. -1 and 0). Then you would get a huge padding in favor of the switch that would have it ahead after 15 quarters. (it would be higher than the DS and pretty much tied with the Wii). 

But in general I feel that with this Fiscal aligned and Launch Aligned if you see the graphs you get a feeling that the wii is with quite a lead but it is losing ground, where as the month aligned gives the impression that the NS passed it and it is not looking back. In this case, for me it seems that in the end, the true scenario is more like the second one, were the NS will beat the Wii by a lot. 

In particular, the comparison between the NS and the DS is a big difference.

According to this month aligned, the NS is actually ahead of the DS. But this comes with a huge asterix, as december for the DS is over 7.5 million, so there is no chance the NS keeps this lead for next month.

There are definitely pros and cons for each graph, but in the end, all of them are fun. The launch aligned leads to a constant back and forth that is motivating for people that want each console to sell more. The fiscal is better aligned than the launch, but it seems to give a big boost to the console that is year 0. The monthly seems to me like a good choice when comparing consoles that launch in different months.

I am going to miss this chart when it is gone.  I liked see this cliff grow every month.  Switch did find the cliff, but it is climbing up it instead of falling off.

With the caveat that the tortoise is somehow hitting speeds faster than the hare ever achieved lol.

Yeah I am gonna miss this one too, it was fun watching the two duel closely for a while before Switch hit the nitro and started closing the gap at breakneck speed, plus it was satisfying after those years of "Switch will sell on par with 3DS."

It was definitely an interesting chart to watch. Personally I refused to believe that the switch would have the same fate as the 3DS. I remember that the launch of the 3ds was a mess. I was sort of easy to forgive nintendo when I got the free SMB game for having purchased the 3ds early, before they reduced the price. The fact that switch was keeping up with the 3ds even though the 3ds had basically started with discounts, meant to me that the switch was much more solid. 

I think that these gap charts of the Wii and 3DS show something very valuable, The first couple of years are too early to make any prediction. for example after 24 months from launch the Wii was ahead of the PS4 by over 22% and now it looks like it will be about 25-40% below in lifetime sales. Or even better, the Wii vs the Xbox 360. after 24 months it had almost 3 times the amount of sales of the 360, but in the end it was only about 18% above the 360.

Fun fact, according to my analysis of VGChartz numbers, the 360 holds the record for having its peak year on year 6

Yeah I never understood the "Switch will sell on par with 3DS" argument, except as wishful thinking from those who didn't want Switch to have great sales.

When it kept pace while being twice the price and before any revisions, it seemed obvious that once it dropped in price and got revisions of its own it would overhaul its predecessor. Not to mention Switch has turned out to have a much more compelling software lineup.

That is very interesting, thank you for that insight. I was wondering why did the 360 have such great legs. This seems like a perfectly good reason. I was checking the comparison between the 360 and the ps3 and it aligns perfectly with what you mention. exactly when the kinect was released, the gap started to shrink. 

It is insane to see how well the second half of the 360 sold. It almost sold as much as the DS.

Would actually anyone be interested in PS5 -vs- WiiU in Japan? (of course ONLY in Japan - worldwide will be done after a few month^^)
Assuming PS5 will be selling worse than PS4, this could be an interesting one at least for like 1-2 Years or so.

Switch was already gaining ground on the PS4, even before COVID hit.  Taking the past year into account, I think it's becoming obvious Switch is going to win this one.  This is another scenario of the Switch being close at first but eventually taking off and leaving the other system in the dust.  It may not be quite as dramatic as the Switch vs. 3DS chart, but the outcome is basically the same.  Switch started strong and steady, but then it's sales really took off making the early years seem slow by comparison.

This was a very interesting month for this gap chart. Looking at a month aligned comparison (basically comparing the fourth november for the NS and for the PS4), this was the first time since last november that the PS4 was able to outsell the NS in a month. 

Next month should go back to nintendo as the PS4 sold 3.9 million units and nintendo already sold 1.3 in it's first of five weeks. I wonder what games came out that holiday season or what deals became available to see such a great growth for the PS4.

The month aligned chart after 45 months of release for the NS shows the NS with quite a lead, and like I said, december should bump this lead really high for the NS.

These past 10 months have been brutal for this chart. But the PS4 did manage to win this month.