Sony PS5 Outpaces Nintendo Switch 2 in Black Friday Console Sales
Sony’s PlayStation 5 claimed the top spot among gaming consoles sold during Black Friday 2025, surpassing the newly released Nintendo Switch 2 by 23 percent in unit volume. This outcome defies expectations for the Switch 2, which launched in June and had amassed over 10 million units sold globally by November. Retail data from Circana indicates the PS5’s success stemmed from aggressive price reductions across all models, including the digital edition at $399 and the disc version at $449.
The PS5’s hardware specifications, featuring an 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU at 3.5 GHz and RDNA 2 GPU with 10.28 teraflops, continue to attract buyers seeking 4K gaming at 60 fps. Sony applied discounts of up to $100 on bundles, driving a 15 percent year-over-year increase in PS5 hardware revenue. In contrast, the Switch 2, priced at $399 with a 12 GB RAM upgrade and 7.9-inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD screen, faced supply constraints that limited availability at major US retailers like Walmart and Best Buy.
Nintendo’s hybrid console delivers 10 times the original Switch’s performance through a custom Nvidia Tegra T239 chip, enabling smoother gameplay in titles like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at 40 fps in handheld mode. Despite this, Black Friday foot traffic data shows PS5 units moving at a rate of 1.2 million across North America, compared to 980,000 for the Switch 2. The third-place finisher, the Nex Playground console, captured 8 percent of sales with its mini-game focus, appealing to casual family buyers.
This sales disparity highlights shifting consumer priorities in the US market, where demand for high-fidelity graphics and backward compatibility outweighs portability for many. Sony’s strategy included exclusive bundles with ‘Astro Bot’ and ‘God of War Ragnarök’, boosting attach rates to 2.3 games per console. Nintendo, while dominant in portable play, saw its market share dip to 42 percent from 48 percent last year, per NPD Group figures.
For US gamers, the PS5’s victory reinforces its position in living-room setups, supported by over 4,000 titles in its library. The console’s SSD architecture achieves load times under 2 seconds in optimized games, a benchmark the Switch 2 matches only in docked mode. Analysts at Newzoo project continued PS5 momentum into 2026, with holiday restocks targeting 2 million additional units.
The Black Friday results also spotlight emerging challengers like the Nex Playground, a $199 cube-shaped device with camera-based interactive games such as digital Hungry Hippos. Its lightweight 1.5-pound build and built-in SSD slot for expansions drew younger demographics, selling 450,000 units. This diversification pressures incumbents to innovate beyond raw power.
Xbox Series X and S trailed in fourth and fifth, with combined sales of 720,000 units amid Microsoft’s focus on Game Pass subscriptions. The Series X’s 12 teraflops and 1 TB SSD appealed to 4K enthusiasts, but a $499 price point hindered volume. Microsoft’s ecosystem, boasting 400 million monthly active users, emphasizes cloud integration over hardware pushes.
Broader market trends reveal a 12 percent rise in overall console spending, reaching $1.8 billion for the week. Tariffs on imported components, now at 25 percent for Asian-sourced parts, contributed to price stability challenges. US consumers benefited from extended warranties on 70 percent of purchases, per Consumer Reports data.
As year-end tallies finalize, Sony’s PS5 edges closer to 65 million lifetime units sold in the US. Nintendo plans Q1 2026 firmware updates for the Switch 2 to enhance battery life to 8 hours in portable mode. These developments signal a maturing console landscape, where pricing and ecosystem depth dictate holiday dominance.
