PS5 Beats Switch 2’s US Dollar Sales in Aftermath of Physical Disc Backlash
Sony’s PlayStation 5 has surpassed Nintendo’s Switch 2 in US dollar sales, marking the first time the aging console has outperformed the hybrid platform in recent months. The achievement follows Sony’s controversial decision to discontinue physical disc manufacturing for PlayStation games by 2028, a move that sparked significant consumer backlash over concerns about game preservation and digital ownership.
Despite industry pushback against going all-digital, the PS5’s stronger dollar sales suggest that existing console owners and price positioning have maintained PlayStation’s revenue advantage. However, an important distinction exists: while PS5 leads in dollar sales, Switch 2 continues to outsell it in unit volume, indicating that Nintendo’s console maintains substantial market penetration despite lower average transaction values per unit.
The momentum appears partly driven by strong software performance, with the recently ported Black Ops 2 becoming the fifth best-selling game of 2026. This performance underscores ongoing consumer demand for major AAA titles on PlayStation and highlights the franchise’s enduring market strength, even as the broader industry grapples with the implications of physical media’s gradual phase-out.