Brands With Best-Selling Video Game Consoles 1972 - 2019

This compares the major players in the gaming console wars from the beginning. It all began with the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972.

Magnavox releases the first game console in 1972. The Odyssey for $99 ($600 in 2019). Magnavox kept releasing updated versions of the Odyssey until 1978.

In 1975 Atari released its Pong arcade game as a console. $99 ($600 in 2019).

In 1976 COLECO joined the console race with the Telstar. $99 ($600 in 2019). While Nintendo prepared to launch its own hardware. The Color Game-TV.

The famous Atari 2600, which supported ROM game cartridges, was released the following year, in 1977. For $199 ($860 in 2019). Magnavox followed with Odyssey2, also featuring ROM cartridges. For $179 ($724 in 2019)

Mattel also released a 2nd gen console, the Intellivision. $299 ($1,110 in 2019)

ColecoVision launched in 1982, influencing the NES development, with it's smooth graphics and performance. For $175 ($715 in 2019)

Nintendo released the Famicon in 1983. Later launching it as the NES $179 ($420 in 2019)

The Master System was launched by Sega at the end of 1986. $199 ($460 in 2019)

NEC TurboGrafx-16 launched as the first 16-bit game console even thought it actually used an 8-bit chip. $249 ($550 in 2019)

Sega Mega Drive was released in 1988, then as the Genesis in NA. $189 ($410 in 2019)

Nintendo launches Super Famicom at the end of 1990. ¥25,000 ($¥47,000 in 2019). After a redesign, the Super Famicom is launched as the SNES in 1991. $175 ($715 in 2019)

In 1993 Sega released a game console for kids, the Pico. $139 ($250 in 2019). Followed by the Sega Saturn just before the Playstation launch. $399 ($610 in 2019). The first Playstation launched a month after the Sega Saturn. $299 ($500 in 2019)

Released in 1996, Nintendo 64 was the last home console to use cartridges. $199 ($325 in 2019)

The Dreamcast was the first sixth generation console but sadly Sega's last game console. $199 ($310 in 2019)

The Playstation 2 is the best-selling console of all-time, since 2000. $199 ($300 in 2019)

In November 2001 Microsoft joined the console race with the powerful Xbox $299 ($431 in 2019)

GameCube launched a couple of months before the Xbox. $199 ($300 in 2019)

Microsoft quickly released their second console 4 years later. $299 ($400 in 2019)

Playstation 3, even with its high price, was sold at a loss of $240 per unit. $499 ($640 in 2019)

The Wii was Nintendo's best-selling console, selling over 100 million units. $249 ($320 in 2019)

In 2009 PlayStation 3 Slim was released by Sony as a thinner, lighter and cheaper PS3. $299

After the Wii's market success Nintendo launched the Wii U in 2012, which was it's worst selling console. Selling just over 13M units at $299.

Xbox One was released in 2013 as a complete entertainment system for $499.

Playstation 4 launches in 2013 and is as successful as first Playstation. Selling 102 million units. Playstation 4 Pro was an update in 2016 that added 4K,UHD,USB 3.1 and much more. $399

In 2017 the Xbox One X launched, adding UHD, 4K, FreeSync, speed, and much more for $499.

The Switch has been Nintendo's fastest selling console to date. 40 million units sold to date at $299.

[blocksterz]

44 years old, still remember the day I got Atari as a gift I couldn't sleep staring at it all night next to me on bed .. tech was magic back then

[YangBalanceYin]

I always felt that Xbox actually competed with Playstation... I was extremely wrong.

[valiatus]

Magnavox: starts the console war,
48 years later
Gamers: Who the hell are you?

[nepoleon]

Atari and SEGA have a place in my heart. SEGA deserved so much more

[quocvietophu]

**Sony releases PS2**

Also Sony: *"I am speed"*

[maxisk]

The most amazing thing is not the Nintendo and Sony explosion, but that people continued to keep buying new Atari units into the 90s.

[nordicdrow]

Xbox players: the war is between Xbox and Playstation.
Sony and nintendo: sure, kid...

[mystdragon]

The original NES will always be my favorite. It was the first console we owned and was a gift from my uncle after someone promised to give me their old Atari, but gave it to someone else. My uncle and grandma brought it home and I never heard of it before, but it was awesome.

[HM-wnin]

PS2 PS3, Wii, DS, 360 days were golden. Take me back.

[paulhuhtala]

Felt like watching a horse race. Never had so much adrenaline watching a bar graph. 😆

[mikeredline]

You also got to remember. When the PS2 came out, it was the cheapest DVD player you could buy at that time.
So a games station that also could play DVDs was a plus

[whurbere_dashcam]

My first console was back around 1977, give or take. I was a gamer before gaming was a thing. Still to this day I love gaming and I’m now 52.

What a ride it’s been seeing those early days of graphics etc compared to the graphics of today. I’m looking to seeing what the future brings.

[krecza]

Playstation: *Passes Sega easily*
Nintendo: Something's wrong, I can feel it.

[declan]

The fact it took until 2010 for Sega to drop out of the top 3 despite making no consoles for years is impressive

[fred]

If it wasn't for Nintendo, Videogames industry wouldn't have been the same. Thank you Shigeru, you started everything with Mario.

[leokimvideo]

Wow, Sega really dropped the prize ball

[bensnedker]

Why did I feel super sad when some of the bars stopped

[adamwheelerproductions]

"Nintendo 64 was the last home console to use cartridges."
Nintendo Switch: "Allow me to introduce myself."

[thesardiuxcomplex]

*War between consoles starts*

Magnavox: Oh, they grow up so fast...

[tokivikerness]

Damn that price tag on dream cast was incredible. What a system for only $199(310 today money)