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
| Mega Drive / Genesis | Wii U | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | ≈ 28,540,000 | 13,560,000 |
| After 4y 1m on sale | – | ≈ 13.5M |
| Released | October 29, 1988 | November 18, 2012 |
| Time on the market | 7y 5m | 4y 1m |
| Average per day | ≈ 11K | ≈ 9K |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis or the Nintendo Wii U?
As of October 31, 2026, the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis leads our tracked comparison: about 28.5 million units against 13.6 million for the Nintendo Wii U, a gap of 15 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Sega Mega Drive / Genesis and Nintendo Wii U consoles have been sold?
Sega Mega Drive / Genesis: calculated from reported figures: 28.54 million units as of March 31, 1996 (Famitsu issue 392, the makers' shipment figures; sell-in (units shipped)). Nintendo Wii U: 13.56 million units as of December 31, 2016 (Nintendo earnings, quarter to December 2016; 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