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 | Steam Deck | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | ≈ 118,690,000 | ≈ 4,943,850 |
| After 4y 8m on sale | – | ≈ 4.9M |
| Released | April 21, 1989 | February 25, 2022 |
| Time on the market | 13y 11m | 4y 8m |
| Average per day | ≈ 23K | ≈ 3K |
| Status | Discontinued | On sale |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Game Boy / Game Boy Color or the Steam Deck?
As of October 31, 2026, the Game Boy / Game Boy Color leads our tracked comparison: about 118.7 million units against 4.9 million for the Steam Deck, a gap of 113.7 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Game Boy / Game Boy Color and Steam Deck 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). Steam Deck: our estimate: 4.9 million units as of May 27, 2026 (Estimate from Boiling Steam's weekly figures; measurement not specified).
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