The race from launch day
Cumulative units by months since each console's own launch. Figures between reports are modelled; where reports are years apart, the line is a rough approximation, not observed annual sales.
Side by side
| Game Boy | Virtual Boy | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | ≈ 118,690,000 | ≈ 770,000 |
| After 8 months on sale | ≈ 2.9M | ≈ 740K |
| Released | April 21, 1989 | July 21, 1995 |
| Time on the market | 13y 11m | 8 months |
| Average per day | ≈ 23K | ≈ 3K |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Game Boy / Game Boy Color or the Nintendo Virtual Boy?
As of October 31, 2026, the Game Boy / Game Boy Color leads our tracked comparison: about 118.7 million units against 770,000 for the Nintendo Virtual Boy, a gap of 117.9 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Game Boy / Game Boy Color and Nintendo Virtual Boy consoles have been sold?
Game Boy / Game Boy Color: calculated from reported figures: 118.7 million units as of March 31, 2003 (Nintendo historical data, sales by fiscal year; measurement not specified). Nintendo Virtual Boy: calculated from reported figures: 770,000 units as of March 31, 1996 (Famitsu issue 392, the makers' shipment figures; sell-in (units shipped)).
Figures can measure shipments, customer sales or estimates; these are not directly interchangeable. Between reports our model projects an estimate, not observed transactions. The changing digits show the model's output, not its accuracy. Its inputs and assumptions are corrected when new figures are available. Sources and method