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
| Wii U | PS5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | 13,560,000 | ≈ 98,117,518 |
| After 4y 1m on sale | ≈ 13.5M | ≈ 73M |
| Released | November 18, 2012 | November 12, 2020 |
| Time on the market | 4y 1m | 5y 11m |
| Average per day | ≈ 9K | ≈ 45K |
| Status | Discontinued | On sale |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Nintendo Wii U or the PlayStation 5?
As of October 31, 2026, the PlayStation 5 leads our tracked comparison: about 98.1 million units against 13.6 million for the Nintendo Wii U, a gap of 84.6 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Nintendo Wii U and PlayStation 5 consoles have been sold?
Nintendo Wii U: 13.56 million units as of December 31, 2016 (Nintendo earnings, quarter to December 2016; measurement not specified). PlayStation 5: more than 95 million units as of June 30, 2026 (Sony Interactive Entertainment, sell-in (units shipped)); our model uses an approximately 95.3 million anchor calculated from rounded reports.
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