Talk:List of best-selling game consoles/Archive 1

Annual Reports
If anyone can find the annual reports for Nintendo (from the early to mid 1990's) or Sony and Microsoft (specifically for the game divisions - any time period), those would be extremely helpful in more accurately determining system sales. Most of the Nintendo hardware sales are based on Annual Reports and thus are extremely accurate. Zomic13

Updating Stats
When updating stats, please remember to update them in both places (under the company's listing and in the Total Sales Ranking). Thanks! Zomic13

Sega's Systems
What is the source for any of this information? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.198.239.14 (talk) 07:55, 11 January 2007 (UTC).


 * Sega System Figures could use some serious help. The figures that are present are from the individual Wikipedia pages for those systems. Unfortunately many of these figures were not cited on the system's article page either, which is why they are not cited here. If anyone can find figures for any of Sega's consoles from a reliable source, please update them here. Zomic_13 22:45, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

Atari and Sony
From the source given for some of Sega's sales information, I found some interesting information on the Atari 2600. According to this, http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/3.htm, the Atari 2600 sold over 30 million units. Since this topic lists the best-selling consoles, wouldn't this be worth adding because the sales are higher than some of the systems here?

Also found there at, http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/14.htm, are updated shipping information for the PlayStation 2. There's updated shipping information for the PSP there, too. http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/19.htm —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.198.239.14 (talk) 12:06, 4 February 2007 (UTC).


 * I am definitely in favor of adding Atari sales figures.Tehw1k1 (talk) 11:15, 26 November 2007 (UTC)


 * Atari 2600 is already listed in both the "Video game and handheld consoles" and "Video game consoles" sections. --Silver Edge (talk) 16:26, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

This doesn't look right...
Sega - Mega CD - 1991 - 6 Nintendo - Wii - 2006 - 6.17

6.17 is greater than 6. Which is wrong, the ranking or the sales figure? David 21:22, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Gameboy Sales look too low
I have been looking at the VGChartz which shows the sales of each console and handheld, and the sales figures aren't matching up. It shows the Gameboy having sales at a worldwide total of 118 million.

http://vgchartz.com/worldcons.php

I also looked and I couldn't find a reference for any of your current sales figures. So...? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.84.108.255 (talk) 08:52, 3 May 2007 (UTC).


 * The Game Boy total that you are referring to is the combination of the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Color. On this list they are listed as (Game Boy - 69.42 million) and (Game Boy Color - 49.54) for a total of 118.69 million. Zomic_13 14:34, 3 May 2007 (UTC)
 * VG Chartz are NOT a reliable site. They pull numbers out of their ass, and then silently fix them when the real numbers are announced. For past games and systems, they are usually way off since they are basically just guessing. I could make up a number for a game and it would be just as reliable as their number. TJ Spyke 03:08, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Total Sales Ranking should go
Here's why: some numbers are units shipped, some are units sold; some are extremely up-to-date, some are months or maybe even years (for the older systems) old. Therefore, it is impossible for the comparison to be completely accurate. Anyone else support removing it? -Unknownwarrior33 03:42, 6 May 2007 (UTC)

Console Sales Rankings
We have a section for total sales rankings, then heandhelds, then the manufacturers sysems themselves. So shouldn't we have a console section only as well? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.68.25.77 (talk • contribs)

TurboGrafx-16
Shouldn't the TurboGrafx-16's sales be on the total sales charts?

Shipped?
I think that at the very least this page should have a disclaimer about the term "shipped". Right now, at a Best Buy near me, there are about 15-20 PS2s just sitting there. Imagine 15-20 PS2s sitting at every Best Buy in America and 10 PS2s at every Circuit City in America. 1800 BB stores * 17.5 + 800 CC stores * 10 = 323000 potentially unsold PS2s that were shipped, plus however many unsold PS2s are sitting at EBgames, Gamestop, Fry's, online warehouses, etc. While not a giant number, I think that such a phrase is VERY misleading, especially when you consider the PSP, which has been out for very little time.Kakomu 13:40, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

New numbers
GameSpot has a nice article with the sales information of several consoles. -- ReyBrujo 02:07, 13 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Interesting, now there is a bunch of conflicting sales numbers. Take for example, PS3 is listed with 4.28 million units sold in this article as reported by Sony, but the report from the Financial Times in the GameSpot and GameDaily BIZ articles states 3.7 million PS3s sold. So which number should be used, the sales number from the company that manufactures the console or a "report which is based on sales figures from Enterbrain in Japan, The NPD Group in the U.S. and GfK of Germany in Europe"?


 * The GameSpot article also states sales numbers that are lower than the numbers listed in this article (for the SNES, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Dreamcast, and Xbox).


 * In the GameSpot article, does, "The Mario Factory's previous console, the N64, was trounced by the then-upstart original PlayStation, selling an estimated 29.8 million to 85.7 million units through April 2007," mean the N64 sold an estimated 29.8 million and the PS1 sold an estimated 85.7 million? Should the estimated sales numbers for the N64, PS1, and PS2 in the GameSpot article be used? --Silver Edge 04:27, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

From the GameSpot article: According to Wedbush Morgan Securities estimates, the still-in-production PS2 sold 112 million units internationally as of April 2007. By comparison the now-discontinued Xbox and GameCube sold 23.1 million and 22.1 million units, respectively. Launched in late 1998, the Sega Dreamcast only sold 8.5 million units worldwide during its short lifetime. The Mario Factory's previous console, the N64, was trounced by the then-upstart original PlayStation, selling an estimated 29.8 million to 85.7 million units through April 2007. The SNES sold 46.5 million units, versus the Sega Genesis' 25.8 million units. Doesn't that mean all the previous generations' console sales numbers are estimates by Wedbush Morgan Securities? --Silver Edge 04:39, 13 September 2007 (UTC)


 * Please may EVERY BODY look at the seventh generation page before editing these important sales figures !!! Animal91X 17:52, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

LIST ALL THE CONSOLES
INSTEAD OF GOING TO SPECIFIC ARTICLES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT A CERTAIN CONSOLE COST THAT DID NOT SELL HIGH ITD BE EASIER TO HAVE THEM ON THIS CONVENIENT LIST. OF COURSE THIS ARTICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED TO LIST OF SALES OF VIDEOGAME CONSOLES THAT MAY EXCLUDE UNOFFICIAL AND OR PIRATE CONSOLES OR ONES THAT MADE INSIGNIFICANT SALES LIKE UNDER 100000. ITD BE LIKE THIS ARTICLE IS NOW EXCEPT LONGER LISTINGS FOR MORE CONSOLES. I PROPOSE A VOTE TO THIS ALTHO I DOUBT IT WILL GO ANYWHERE IN A COMMUNITY THATS SLOW TO CHANGE —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.188.17.249 (talk) 15:40, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

Strongly Oppose - This should definitely not include unofficial or pirate consoles. The list should just contain the best-selling consoles and not every one that ever existed. Also, if you really want to be taken seriously don't rant in all caps, use actual English, and include more than one period in your paragraph. -Zomic13 17:02, 16 October 2007 (UTC)


 * Best selling consoles, not ALL consoles. Ffgamera (talk) 09:17, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

Add dates!
This list should add dates for figures. Otherwise it's worthless for the seventh gen at least. Figure for PS3 is about three million and several months out; Wii, five million and several months.......yet up to date and about right for the 360 (based on industry published figures)! 86.17.211.191 (talk) 02:57, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

Caveat in opening para
I have added a caveat vis-a-vis figures and their date points. For the seventh generation in particular, the figures are misleading (or obsolete at least) without this caveat as visitors would assume they are contemporary (relying on endnoted links is insufficient). They are months out of date for the Wii and PS3. If this is an encyclopaedia then in a situation where facts are presented but need to be qualified and dated then that should be made explicit.

An argument can be made for modifying this caveat to state that the latest quarterly figures are due soon, and subesequently the page will be brought up to immediate date. But the caveating should always be clear. 86.17.211.191 (talk) 12:46, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

First 18 months of PSP sales missing
Why does the figure for the PSP exclude half its life of sales? I remember seeing NPD figures in late 2007 suggesting sales in the low 20s of millions area. 86.17.211.191 (talk) 12:52, 15 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I smell a rat: the PSP's own page has no problem citing 25m+ shipped..... -- 86.17.211.191 (talk) 20:25, 8 February 2008 (UTC)
 * There are two numbers: here are the sold numbers from 2006, while this one has the shipped numbers. -- ReyBrujo (talk) 21:23, 8 February 2008 (UTC)

added comment suggesting revision of game boy/game boy color listing
Moving comment from article to here just leaving a comment to suggest the following - the game boy and game boy color cannot really be counted as the same console. i have done some research and game boy color games do not play on the game boy. in my mind this is sufficient to establish them as separate consoles, which is how they were listed in any case a few months back. i suggest this area needs revision. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.46.230.67 (talk)
 * The figures were unsourced when they were listed separately. If you can find reliable sources that indicate Game Boy and Game Boy Color unit sales separately then they can be separated. --Silver Edge (talk) 23:23, 10 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Sorry but lack of official sales numbers do not justify report erroneously as same handheld console. --Ciao 90 (talk) 11:48, 6 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I agree. The systems are completely different consoles. The GameBoy cannot run GameBoy Color games, and therefore they cannot be listed as the same item. --Pellucid (talk) 06:58, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I suggest removing "Game Boy and Game Boy Color" from the "Video game and handheld consoles" and "Handheld game consoles" sections, but leaving it in the "Nintendo" section. --Silver Edge (talk) 07:03, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

N-Gage
Should the N-Gage, with 1.5 million sold, be listed here? Another user previously removed the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (2 million sold) and the Sega Nomad (1 million sold) stating that "This is supposed to be about the best selling consoles, not anything that's ever been sold on the market." After the PlayStation 3 figure was updated to 5 million, there were no consoles on the list that sold less then 5 million units, so I added "that have sold five million units or more" to the lead, to clarify the inclusion criteria, as per WP:LIST. Should this article be moved to a new name (e.g. List of game console sales) and list any console with a sourced sales figure, no matter the number of units sold? --Silver Edge (talk) 08:23, 16 March 2008 (UTC)

DS & DS Lite
I think the DS and DS Lite numbers should be combined. If the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, which were much more different, can be combined, then why not the DS and DS Lite? --Jedravent (talk) 22:16, 19 April 2008 (UTC)
 * The DS figure already includes the DS Lite. --Silver Edge (talk) 06:59, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I think what he meant is the GB and GB color share the same line. IF the DS and DS lite numbers are combined, as with the SP and Micro numbers are combined with the GBA numbers, then they should just share the same line as well, and the combined numbers reflect the total sales of all models of the respective system.  -- su mn ji m  talk with me·changes 14:22, 24 July 2008 (UTC)
 * The Game Boy and Game Boy Colour "share the same line", because the only reliably sourced figure found for the Game Boy or Game Boy Colour, is a combined total of the two. While the GBA SP, GB Micro, and DS Lite all have reliably sourced individual figures. --Silver Edge (talk) 19:25, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Updating PS2 numbers
I just updated PS2 numbers refering the Financial Times article --Ciao 90 (talk) 10:19, 21 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Note: I reverted the article before to the SilverEdge edit. Users 69.118.62.220 and User:AranhaHunter changed the numbers and added a "fail" citation in PS2, obviously vandalism. --Ciao 90 (talk) 10:22, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

GameBoy/ GBC separation
Don't people think that it's biased to add the two figures together? PS2 and PS rightfully own the top two positions, and the GB and GBC are in two totally different generations, have way different games etc. Is it possible to separate the two figures? Ffgamera (talk) 09:15, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

Nintendo only released the numbers as a combination. They won't say exactly how many the original had, but will say it was nearly 70 million. Same with color, as nearly 50 million. They do say the 2 combined for 118.69 million. Soon, I imagine they'll incude the GBA in with that as a 200.(whatever) million total for the entire Game Boy line. Who knows how many DS systems they'll end at, but it's going to be the first true 100 million system for nintendo. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.206.30.185 (talk) 22:34, 6 November 2008 (UTC)


 * Not all Game Boy Color games were exclusive for the GBC. Many were backwards compatible on the Game Boy which is why sales numbers are not necessarily distinct for one system. -Zomic13 (talk) 18:41, 7 November 2008 (UTC)

Virtual Boy
Are the totals for the ones who crossed the million mark? If not, why isn't Virtual Boy included? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.206.30.185 (talk) 22:38, 6 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Is there a reliable source that states the Virtual Boy shipped or sold over 1 million units? The Virtual Boy article has a source for 770,000 units sold. --Silver Edge (talk) 07:50, 7 November 2008 (UTC)
 * I thought it had sold 40 million units! :-P -- ReyBrujo (talk) 17:57, 7 November 2008 (UTC)
 * The Virtual Boy definitely did not sell 40 million units. It was only on the market for about a year and is considered to be a commercial failure. 40 million would be more than the N64 and almost as many as the SNES. -Zomic13 (talk) 18:39, 7 November 2008 (UTC)

That Virtual Boy source doesn't seem valid to me. If it's not a valid source, what's it doing on Wiki??? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.235.75.188 (talk) 04:03, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Sales
Stop changing console sales for the ps2 to 00 & 40 as they are 140 million, also, stop changing 360 sales to 9999 million

-> WikiNoob —Preceding unsigned comment added by FrEaK40 (talk • contribs) 03:54, 25 November 2008 (UTC)

Also, can not seem to get the sorting right. please help with that ty. FrEaK40 (talk) 22:17, 25 November 2008 (UTC)

PlayStation (shipped)
What the point of shipped PSone the console is almost dead by now and probably all consoles were sold from stores. --PS3 Addict (talk) 20:14, 14 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Sorry, but we cannot make such suppositions. If the reference says shipped, it should be shipped. Otherwise, we could think all ET games for the Atari 2600 were already sold by now ;-) -- ReyBrujo (talk) 21:17, 14 December 2008 (UTC)

Wii sales
The reference that states Xbox 360 hit 28 million units says Wii sold 45 million. I notice most Nintendo numbers are based on consolidated results and briefings instead of other kind of references. Any reason for that? Should we change the current number for the new one (which is about 13 million higher)? -- ReyBrujo (talk) 03:22, 6 January 2009 (UTC)
 * I think Nintendo's financial reports are used because they have the most up-to-date reliably sourced worldwide figures for Nintendo consoles. I say go ahead and change the Wii's figure to 45 million with that source; the Xbox 360 currently uses that reliable source, so I don't see why the Wii shouldn't. --Silver Edge (talk) 04:48, 6 January 2009 (UTC)
 * On second thought, the 45 million Wii figure might have come from VG Chartz. See Talk:Wii. --Silver Edge (talk) 07:24, 13 January 2009 (UTC)

PS2 sales
According to this article from GameDaily 131.3 million PS2 units have been shipped, which conflicts with the current source from the Financial Times. To obtain the real number of PS2s shipped the last two quarters from this table must be added. What to do? Rhonin the wizard (talk) 16:15, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Gamesindustry Eurogamer Gamespot --PS3 Addict (talk) 23:16, 9 February 2009 (UTC)
 * They all cite the Financial Times article. Rhonin the wizard (talk) 04:50, 10 February 2009 (UTC)
 * "By Sony's E3 Media & Business Summit presence in July, that figure had ballooned to 140 million units worldwide." The main source is Sony itself, by Hirai's public speech. The Financial Times article is based on the same source as Eurogamer, Gamespot and Gamesindustry.   --PS3 Addict (talk) 17:19, 10 February 2009 (UTC)
 * The Financial Times article is dated July 20 2008, the GameDaily one is October 23 2008, I don't think 9 million units were called back. To further prove my point, using this graph and this table, from Sony's financial reports(there is a difference between the two because Sony changed what they report from production shipments to retail shipments), we don't get the 140 figure. Companies can't lie in financial reports. Rhonin the wizard (talk) 18:26, 10 February 2009 (UTC)
 * New number from Sony: "Since launching in 2000, PlayStation 2 has sold more than 136 million sell-in units worldwide". Rhonin the wizard (talk) 16:09, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Microsoft Xbox 360 hits 30.2 million SHIPPED
http://www.dbtechno.com/gaming/2009/04/25/xbox-360-has-now-sold-over-30-million-consoles-around-globe/

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/360-reaches-30-million-milestone-xbox-division-suffers-loss-$1290427.htm

Can this be updated please, I did try but I don't know how to correct the link. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Seece (talk • contribs) 12:41, 29 April 2009 (UTC)

iPhone/iPod touch to be included?
I edited in the iPhone and iPod touch. They have since been removed. My reference source was an article which, apart from giving sales numbers, talked about how the iPod touch is being positioned as a games device; I was thinking maybe I would kill 2 birds with one stone...the one of the sales figures, and the other of the classification as a games console. If the N-Gage is included in this list even though it is also a phone, surely the same must apply to iPhone?

I can provide a few additional sources backing the claim to being a games console if required. I don't know if there are exact requirements for being classified as such?

Thanks.

194.46.162.203 (talk) 16:30, 6 October 2009 (UTC)
 * The N-Gage was designed as a video game system that could also act as a cellphone. Apple may not be pushing games, but the iPod Touch was released as a MP3 player that could also play games. The iPhone is, of coarse, a phone. I would be willing to listen to others arguments, but my opinion is that neither are video game systems; they can play games but they are not game systems. The iPod Touch has a stronger argument than the iPhone though since the iPhone has never been pushed as a gaming device by Apple and would be a slippery slope because then you could say "why not add in every other cellphone that can play games?". Video games should be the primary function (meaning it is what the manufacturer designed it for, not just a feature that is included) of something to be included on this list TJ   Spyke   16:40, 6 October 2009 (UTC)

PS3 in wrong spot
I don't know how to change things, but I noticed that when you order the consoles from most sells to least sells, the PS3 has about 24.6 million and their are two above it that are 24 million and some other number. Just a little FYI —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.132.30.245 (talk) 02:21, 9 October 2009 (UTC)
 * Fixed, thanks for noticing that.  TJ   Spyke   03:06, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

VGChartz
VGChartz is a good source. They combine the hardware numbers of different agencies such as NPD, Mediacreate and Charttrack to give a good look at how the current generation consoles are doing worldwide. VGChartz tracks console sell-through to consumers. VGChartz has been quoted and used as a source by IGN, NY Times, etc. The only thing better than using VGChartz is to wait for the quarterly console shipment numbers by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. Also VGChartz always adjusts it's numbers to stay in line with what other "professional" agencies such as NPD have (and NPD doesn't even track Walmart numbers) and the official shipment numbers. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.83.105.78 (talk) 12:41, 22 October 2009 (UTC)
 * VG Chartz is not a reliable source, they pull their numbers out of their ass (especially evident when they have US sales numbers after 1 day of release and updated daily). SOMETIMES they will replace their made-up numbers after REAL numbers are reported by reliable sources. VG Charts has occasionally been quoted by some actual reliable places, but that doesn't mean anything. Fringe groups like World Net Daily (the people who made up crap like the Obama Birther theory and other stuff) are sometimes quoted by reliable sources too. As for NPD and Walmart, no tracking source tracks every retailer. Walmart doesn't report their sales to anybody (except CD sales, but they only began to report that last year). VG Chartz has not shown any signs of being reliable or that they actually check their info (rather than just making it up). PROFESSIONAL trackers like NPD actually get sales info directly from retailers rather than just guessing based on public info (which is what VGC does).  TJ   Spyke   15:03, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

iPhone/iPod touch to be included (again)
I've deleted iPhone/Touch from the lists. My view is they are games machines as a secondary function only (the clue is in the name for the iPhone at least). Hell, I played 'snake' on my 3210 for years, but I can't see anybody advocating its inclusion here. Please don't reinclude without consensus here. RatSplat ooo 16:15, 28 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Agreed, cell phones are designed as phones first and MAYBE games secondary (the only exception I can think of is N-Gage, which was designed to be a game system that could also make phone calls).  TJ   Spyke   22:09, 28 January 2010 (UTC)