The PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S both enjoyed record launches for Sony and Microsoft respectively. That, of course, was reflected in their UK launches as well, and now we have exact figures to go with that. Thanks to data released by the Gfk and GSD (via GamesIndustry), we know exactly how much all the active consoles sold in the UK during 2020.
PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo all saw year-over-year growth in hardware sales last year. PS4 and PS5 collectively sold around 900,000 units (up from PS4’s 700,000 in 2019), the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One collectively sold around 600,000 consoles (up from around 500,000 for the Xbox One in 2020).
Meanwhile, the Switch – which we’ve known was by far the top performer in the UK last year – sold 1.5 million units, up from 1 million in 2019. That’s about as much as all PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S sales put together. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S collectively sold about 800,000 units, which is a little over half of what the Switch managed.
Given the fact that 2020 was a console launch year, it was inevitable that it was going to see incredibly strong sales for gaming hardware, but it’s also worth pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic was also a major factor in driving higher than usual sales even for older hardware, with people looking for sources of entertainment while under lockdowns.
That the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S both suffered from severe supply constraints in 2020 (and continue to even now, and will continue to for a while still) only makes these sales figures that much more impressive. Doubtless, assuming the supply situation for the new consoles improves, these numbers should continue to get even more impressive in the coming months.