Best-selling consoles of 2021
The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of 2021, with about 23.7 million units sold worldwide, ahead of the PlayStation 5 (12.8 million) and the Xbox Series X|S (8.9 million).
Every system in 2021
Units sold worldwide from January 1 to December 31, 2021, with each system's share of the tracked total and its change on 2020.
| # | System | Maker | Units in 2021 | Share | vs 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Nintendo Switch | 23.66M | 50% | −14% | |
| 2 |  PlayStation 5 | 12.79M | 27% | +182% | |
| 3 |  Xbox Series X|S | 8.87M | 19% | +509% | |
| 4 |  PlayStation 4 | 1.79M | 4% | −72% |
A year's units are the difference between each console's curve at the start and the end of the year: the makers' published cumulative totals, with a straight line between two of them. Systems without published figures around 2021 are left out, so the tracked total is not the whole market.
Frequently asked questions
What was the best-selling console of 2021?
The Nintendo Switch, with about 23.7 million units sold worldwide, ahead of the PlayStation 5 (12.8 million) and the Xbox Series X|S (8.9 million). Units per year are estimated from the makers' published totals.
How many consoles were sold in 2021?
The 4 systems with enough published figures for 2021 add up to about 47.1 million units. Systems without figures around 2021 are left out, so the whole market was larger.
How did the Nintendo Switch do in 2021 compared with 2020?
It sold about 23.7 million units in 2021, against about 27.4 million in 2020.
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