This thread is for the discussion and collation of sales data for retro systems. Hopefully we'll eventually have lots of data to fill the first few posts.
LTDs (Units, millions)
Nintendo;
See here for others.
PlayStation;
Sega;
NEC:
SNK
3DO
Pioneer
Bandai
Atari;
There are generally four different ways of recording console sales;
Production Shipments
This was the preferred method of Sony (and possibly other electronics companies such as Matsushita/Panasonic) until March 2007 when they switched to Consolidated Shipments. These are shipments of consoles from the factory, but not necessarily to subsidiaries, distributors, or retailers. They could be stored in warehouses for example. Whilst this method of accounting is accurate, it may not necessarily reflect demand at the time, especially for "failed" systems where large stocks of unsold hardware eventually gets liquidated through large discounts quite some time after manufacture.
Non-consolidated Shipments
This was the preferred method of Nintendo and Sega for their overseas sales until March 2000 and March 2001 respectively. These are shipments of consoles to subsidiaries and distributors, but not necessarily retailers. This method of accounting is also accurate, and is a reflection of demand at the time from subsidiaries and distributors. For more details of non-consolidated and consolidated shipments see here.
Consolidated Shipments / Sell In
This is the current standard, adopted by Nintendo, Sega, and Sony from April 2000, 2001, and 2007 respectively. Consolidated shipments, also known as "Sell in" are shipments from subsidiaries and distributors to retailers. As with the other accounting methods mentioned above this offers accuracy, but is also a better reflection of demand at the time as it directly reflects retail demand.
Retail Sales / Sell Through
These are sales from retail to consumers, and theoretically offer the best reflection of demand at the time. Unfortunately these are estimations for the whole market made by various retail tracking firms (and sometimes the manufacturers themselves). Whilst achieving a decent level of accuracy today this hasn't always been the case in the past, where they may have missed large parts of the market. For example GfK Lek Trak in the UK were a consumer goods tracker who didn't cover specialist game stores or toy stores. Conversely the American NPD Group's Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service (TRSTS) tracked toys, and may not have had coverage of consumer electronic retailers. These trackers also only tracked a limited number of retailers, missing large players such as Toys R Us and Walmart. For these reasons this method of tracking is not considered accurate.
For the purposes of this thread shipments will be considered as "official" numbers. Whilst the three different shipment accounting methods can result in somewhat different numbers at any moment in time, they should all eventually converge on the same lifetime number. One rare exception is when excess stock is unable to be liquidated and is destroyed. In this specific case production shipments would be higher than either non-consolidated or consolidated shipments. Where more than one shipment method is available the priority will be "Consolidated Shipments" > "Non-consolidated Shipments" > "Production Shipments" to better reflect demand at the time.
LTDs (Units, millions)
Nintendo;
Code:
Virtual Boy
9603
JP 0.14
IN 0.63
WW 0.77
See here for others.
PlayStation;
Cumulative Production Shipments of Hardware(until March 2007)
PlayStation
PlayStation 2
PlayStation Portable
Sega;
Code:
Master System
9203 9209 9303
NA
EU 3.50 4.50 6.20
In
JP
WW
Mega Drive
8903 9003 9103 9203 9209 9303 9403 9503 9603 9703 9803
NA - 0.40 1.30 3.00 5.00 6.80 11.85
EU - - 0.60 1.80 3.50 5.10 7.25
In - 0.40 1.90 4.80 8.50 11.90 19.10 22.91 24.96
JP 0.40 1.00 1.90 2.60 2.90 3.00 3.45 3.55 3.58 3.58 3.58
WW 0.40 1.40 3.80 7.40 11.40 14.90 22.55 26.46 28.54
Game Gear
9103 9203 9209 9303 9403 9503 9603 9703
NA - 0.60 0.90 1.45 3.80
EU - 0.70 1.40 2.05 2.80
In - 1.30 2.30 3.50 6.60 8.65 8.84
JP 0.20 0.60 0.70 0.85 1.25 1.60 1.78
WW 0.20 1.90 3.00 4.35 7.85 10.25 10.62
Mega CD
9203 9209 9303 9403 9503 9603
NA - 0.22 0.30 1.00
EU - - 0.07 0.32
In - 0.22 0.37 1.32 1.82 1.84
JP 0.20 0.23 0.28 0.38 0.40 0.40
WW 0.20 0.45 0.65 1.70 2.22 2.24
32X
9503
NA
EU
In
JP 0.05
WW
Saturn
9503 9509 9603 9609 9703 9709 9803 9903
NA - 0.60 1.40 1.70 1.75 1.80
EU - 0.90 0.95 1.00
OT - 0.16 0.26 0.53
In - 0.90 2.25 2.76 2.96 3.20 3.33
JP 0.84 2.50 3.50 4.80 5.20 5.60 5.75
WW 0.84 3.40 5.75 7.56 8.16 8.80 9.08
Dreamcast
9903 0003 0103 0109 0203
NA - 2.10 3.88 4.41 4.64
EU - 0.70 1.63 - -
AS 0.90 2.01 2.69 2.82 2.86
WW 0.90 4.81 8.20 8.86 9.13
NEC:
Code:
PC Engine (Including CD·ROM² & Duo)
8803 8903 9003 9103 9203 9209 9303 9403 9503 9603
IN - - 1.57 1.80
JP 0.60 1.43 2.35 3.62 4.65 4.97 5.32 5.52 5.82 5.84
WW 0.60 1.43 6.22 6.77
PC Engine (All Hu card only models)
8803 8903 9003 9103 9203 9209 9303 9403
IN - - 1.50 1.70
JP 0.60 1.35 2.10 3.12 3.65 3.72 3.82 3.92
WW 0.60 1.35 5.15 5.42
PC Engine GT
9103 9203
IN
JP 0.12 0.14
WW
PC Engine LT
9203
JP 0.01
CD·ROM² (Duo Included)
8903 9003 9103 9203 9209 9303 9403 9503 9603
IN - 0.075 0.10
JP 0.08 0.25 0.50 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.60 1.90 1.92
WW 0.08 1.075 1.35
PC Engine Duo
9203 9209 9303 9403 9503 9603
IN -
JP 0.30 0.50 0.60
WW 0.30
CD·ROM²
8903 9003 9103 9203 9209 9303 9403 9503
NA - 0.075
JP 0.08 0.25 0.50 0.70 0.75 0.90
WW 0.08 0.775
PC-FX
9503 9603 9703 9709
JP 0.10 0.22 0.27 0.29
SNK
Code:
Neo Geo (Including Neo Geo CD)
9403 9503 9603 9703 9709 9803 9903
JP 0.30 0.70 0.80
In 0.15 0.18
WW 0.85 0.98
Neo Geo
9403 9503 9603 9703 9709 9803 9903
JP 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.35
In 0.05 0.06
WW 0.35 0.41
Neo Geo CD
9503 9603 9703 9709 9803 9903
JP 0.40 0.45
In 0.10 0.12
WW 0.50 0.57
3DO
Code:
3DO (Panasonic REAL & Sanyo TRY)
9403 9503 9603 9703
JP 0.04 0.47 0.72 0.77
In 0.06 0.30 0.60 0.63
WW 0.10 0.77 1.32 1.40
3DO REAL
9403 9503 9603 9703
JP 0.04 0.45 0.70 0.75
In 0.06 0.30 0.60 0.63
WW 0.10 0.75 1.30 1.38
3DO TRY
9503
JP 0.02
Pioneer
Code:
LaserActive
9403
JP 0.042
NA
WW
Bandai
Code:
WonderSwan (excluding SwanCrystal)
9903 0003 0103 0203 0303
JP 0.40 1.40 2.80 3.05 3.32
Atari;
Code:
Jaguar
9312 9412 9512 9612
NA
EU
JP - 0.002
WW 0.017 0.100 0.125
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