Nintendo Virtual Boy sales over time
Cumulative worldwide units; figures between reports are modelled, and wide gaps make the curve a rough approximation.
- Source / model anchor
- News
Sales timeline
Reported figures, estimates and the news around them, newest first.
- Calculated
770,000 units worldwide
Calculated from reported figures · sell-in (units shipped)
140,000 Japanese and 630,000 international shipments in a transcription of the Nintendo table; the original magazine scan has not been independently checked.
- Regional
Japan: 140,000 units
Source estimate · sell-in (units shipped)
Japanese shipments in the transcribed table.
- News
Virtual Boy launches in Japan
Sales by region
We do not have a sourced regional breakdown for Nintendo Virtual Boy. Explore the available figures for Japan.
Legacy
Nintendo’s tabletop stereoscopic system used red-and-black displays to create a 3D effect.
The latest sourced count is a 1996 shipment figure, rather than a confirmed final lifetime total.
Its unusual display and short commercial life made it a distinctive part of Nintendo history.
Compare the Virtual Boy
Head-to-head sales, aligned by months since launch.
- Virtual Boy vs Game Gear
- Virtual Boy vs Switch 2
- Virtual Boy vs Switch
- Virtual Boy vs Wii U
- Virtual Boy vs 3DS
- Virtual Boy vs DS
- Virtual Boy vs Game Boy Advance
- Virtual Boy vs Game Boy
- Virtual Boy vs Wii
- Virtual Boy vs GameCube
- Virtual Boy vs N64
- Virtual Boy vs SNES
- Virtual Boy vs NES
- Virtual Boy vs PS5
- Virtual Boy vs PS4
- Virtual Boy vs PS3
- Virtual Boy vs PS2
- Virtual Boy vs PS1
- Virtual Boy vs PSP
- Virtual Boy vs PS Vita
- Virtual Boy vs Xbox Series X|S
- Virtual Boy vs Xbox One
- Virtual Boy vs Xbox 360
- Virtual Boy vs Xbox
- Virtual Boy vs Steam Deck
- Virtual Boy vs Master System
- Virtual Boy vs Mega Drive / Genesis
- Virtual Boy vs Saturn
- Virtual Boy vs Dreamcast
- Virtual Boy vs Atari 2600
- Virtual Boy vs Atari Jaguar
More Nintendo consoles
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<p>Chart: <a href="https://gameconsolesales.com/nintendo/virtual-boy">Nintendo Virtual Boy sales</a>, Game Console Sales (CC BY 4.0)</p>Frequently asked questions
How many Nintendo Virtual Boy units have been sold?
The latest figure is calculated from reported figures: 770,000 units as of March 31, 1996 (Famitsu issue 392, forum transcription; sell-in (units shipped)).
When was the Nintendo Virtual Boy released?
The Nintendo Virtual Boy launched on July 21, 1995.
Is the Nintendo Virtual Boy still being sold?
No. The Nintendo Virtual Boy is discontinued. The latest figure shown may be an estimate and is not necessarily a final lifetime count.
Where does the Nintendo Virtual Boy rank among the best-selling consoles?
With about 770,000 units, the Nintendo Virtual Boy ranks #31 of the 32 consoles we track.
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