PS5, Xbox Series X or Nintendo Switch — which was the best-selling console in February?
Folks have an itch for the Switch
PS5 and Xbox Series X restock woes reveal that the demand for Sony and Microsoft's consoles is sky high, but unfortunately, the two tech giants cannot meet them due to supply-chain issues.
Nintendo, however, is having a smoother time doling out Switch consoles to customers who want them. According to The NPD Group, an industry-tracking firm, the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of February, racking in a whopping $406 million last month (via VentureBeat)
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Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in February
It's no surprise that the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of February despite the demand for the PS5 and Xbox Series X. How can Sony and Microsoft nab top sales when they don't have the inventory to fulfill them?
According to The NPD Group, Nintendo Switch's February sales increased by 121% year-over-year. In my personal experience, I've seen parents scramble to purchase PS5 or Xbox Series X consoles for their kids — only to find out that snagging one is like hunting for Bigfoot. As such, many ended up purchasing a Switch console instead as an appealing alternative for their little ones.
VentureBeat noted that Nintendo's supply-chain pipeline is more "mature," and as a result, "Nintendo is able to get many more systems into the retail chain." The Switch is now Nintendo's second best-selling platform in U.S. history (the Nintendo Wii ranks first).
Although the Switch outsold all of its competitors in February, Sony got some wins. The PS5 console was the second best-seller last month and it's currently the fastest-selling hardware platform in U.S. history.
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Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!