Welcome to the VGChartz Sales Comparison Charts monthly discussion thread for the March 2026 charts. Everyone is welcome to join the discussion and post any charts I forget to post. View the list of February March articles here.

Link to the VGChartz article here.

Switch 2 vs Switch 1 Sales Comparison in Japan - March 2026

This monthly series compares the aligned Japanese sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch 1.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 in Japan and the Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017. Therefore, the normal holiday periods and the Japanese Golden Week holiday for the two consoles do not lineup.

Switch 2 Vs. Switch 1 Japan:

Gap change in latest month: 475,114 - Switch 1

Total Lead: 1,825,613 - Switch 2

Switch 2 Total Sales: 5,150,270

Switch 1 Total Sales: 3,324,657

March 2026 is the 10th month that the Nintendo Switch 2 has been available for in Japan. During the latest month, the Switch 1 has outsold the Switch 2 by 0.48 million units when you align the launches. The Switch 2 is ahead of the Switch 1 by 1.83 million units.

The 10th month for the Switch 2 is March 2026, while for the Switch 1 it is December 2017. The Switch 2 has sold 5.15 million units, while the Switch 1 sold 3.32 million units during the same timeframe.

The Nintendo Switch 1 has sold 36.76 million units to date. The Switch 2 is currently 31.61 million units behind the lifetime sales of the Switch 1.

Link to the VGChartz article here.

PS5 vs PS4 Sales Comparison in Japan - March 2026

This monthly series compares the aligned Japanese sales of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

The PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020 in Japan, while the PlayStation 4 launched in February 2014. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup.

PS5 Vs. PS4 Japan:

Gap change in latest month: 21,496 - PS4

Gap change over last 12 months: 675,303 - PS4

Total Lead: 887,421 - PS4

PlayStation 5 Total Sales: 7,500,001

PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 8,387,422

March 2026 is the 65th month the PlayStation 5 has been available for. In the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the PlayStation 4 when compared to the aligned launch of the PlayStation 5 by 21,496 units.

In the last 12 months, the PS4 has outsold the PS5 by 0.68 million units. The PS5 is currently behind the PS4 by 0.89 million units.

The 65th month for the PS5 in Japan is March 2026, while for the PS4 it is June 2019. The PS5 has sold 7.50 million units, while the PS4 sold 8.39 million units during the same timeframe.

The PS4 crossed 8.5 million in month 68, 9 million in month 72, and 9.5 million in month 84. The PS4 sold 9.68 million units lifetime. The PS5 is currently 2.18 million units behind the lifetime sales of the PS4 in Japan.

I'm waiting to see if Nintendo's forecast for the next fiscal year is high enough for the Switch to have any shot of outselling the PS2. If it does expect a new monthly series. Here is a tease of the charts.

Since we don't have monthly sales estimates here on VGChartz I just have the lifetime figures, along with the potential low end (160M) and high end (160.64M). High end is number of units manufactured, so actual sales are likely barely above 160M.

Seeing this table with all the quarters, and more specifically it's drops per quarter for the last 3 fiscal years, it's very hard to imagine how this will go to 160M. If we continue the trend we should have around 0.6-0.75 for quarter 4, which will result in around close to or exactly 4M for the fiscal year. with 156 or 156.1M of shipments. Even putting 2M for the next one it will result in 158M. 1M the year after gets it to 159M, and 0.5 more to 159.5M. The drops should be less than 50% per year, and Switch has to continue to sell till around 2029 or 2030, to have realistic chance at this. It's an uphill battle.

I think the only hope for Switch 1 to overtake PS2 is if they can push the Switch lite as a low budget gaming alternative when all other consoles and gaming PCs explode in price. Still a long shot but it could give Switch 1 some purpose on the market, because it could be like the only affordable gaming hardware, its ancient components should barely get affected by AI component price increases. But that would depend on Nintendo actually continuing to release some games on the Switch 1 in the future.

I agree the drop needs to be under 50% per year to have a shot. Under 2 million forecasts for the next fiscal year and it is over. Over 2 million and there is still a chance.

Japan sales need to stay decent for a couple more years as well to have a shot as sales have dropped like a rock in the US and Europe. 

Link to the VGChartz article here.

Switch 2 vs Switch 1 Sales Comparison in Europe - March 2026

This monthly series compares the aligned Europe sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch 1.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 in Europe and the Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup.

Switch 2 Vs. Switch 1 Europe:

Gap change in latest month: 507,584 - Switch 1

Total Lead: 1,162,072 - Switch 2

Switch 2 Total Sales: 4,442,349

Switch 1 Total Sales: 3,280,277

March 2026 is the 10th month that the Nintendo Switch 2 has been available for in Europe. During the latest month, the Switch 1 has outsold the Switch 2 by 507,584 units when you align the launches. The Switch 2 is ahead of the Switch 1 by 1.16 million units.

The 10th month for the Switch 2 is March 2026, while for the Switch 1 it is December 2017. The Switch 2 has sold 4.44 million units, while the Switch 1 sold 3.28 million units during the same timeframe.

The Nintendo Switch 1 sold 39.74 million units to date. The Switch 2 is currently 35.30 million units behind the lifetime sales of the Switch 1.

Link to the VGChartz article here.

PS5 vs PS4 Sales Comparison in the US - March 2026

This monthly series compares the aligned US sales of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

The PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020, while the PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do lineup.

PS5 Vs. PS4 US:

Gap change in latest month: 71,156 - PS5

Gap change over last 12 months: 1,037,165 - PS4

Total Lead: 472,478 - PS5

PlayStation 5 Total Sales: 29,437,851

PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 28,965,373

March 2026 is the 65th month the PlayStation 5 has been available for. In the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the PlayStation 5 when compared to the aligned launch of the PlayStation 4 by 71,156 units.

In the last 12 months, the PS4 has outsold the PS5 by 1.04 million units. The PS5 is currently ahead of the PS4 by 0.47 million units.

The PS5 has sold 29.44 million units in 65 months, while the PS4 sold 28.97 million units. Month 65 for the PS5 is March 2026 and for the PS4 is March 2019.

The PS4 crossed 30 million in month 71, 32 million in month 74, and 34 million in month 86. The PS4 sold 34.93 million units lifetime in the US. The PS5 is 5.49 million units behind lifetime PS4 sales in the US.

Link to the VGChartz article here.

Switch 2 vs Switch 1 Sales Comparison in the US - March 2026

This monthly series compares the aligned US sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch 1.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 in the US and the Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup.

Switch 2 Vs. Switch 1 US:

Gap change in latest month: 889,549 - Switch 1

Total Lead: 529,717 - Switch 2

Switch 2 Total Sales: 5,417,194

Switch 1 Total Sales: 4,887,477

March 2026 is the 10th month that the Nintendo Switch 2 has been available for in the US. During the latest month, the Switch 1 has outsold the Switch 2 by 0.89 million units when you align the launches. The Switch 2 is ahead of the Switch 1 by 0.53 million units.

The 10th month for the Switch 2 is March 2026, while for the Switch 1 it is December 2017. The Switch 2 has sold 5.42 million units, while the Switch 1 sold 4.89 million units during the same timeframe.

The Nintendo Switch 1 sold 48.86 million units to date. The Switch 2 is currently 43.44 million units behind the lifetime sales of the Switch 1.