Retro power: The NES Classic outsold the PlayStation 4 and Switch in June

By Gabe Gurwin August 2, 2018

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo has been on a roll as of late, with its Switch console approaching 20 million total sales and multiple games passing 10 million sales, but the hybrid system didn’t top console sales for June. Instead, it was the absurdly popular NES Classic Edition, the plug-and-play console that originally launched in 2016.

Nintendo discontinued the NES Classic Edition shortly after it launched in late 2016, with the follow-up SNES Classic releasing the following year, but the company brought the NES back to store shelves earlier this year for those who couldn’t find one the first time around.

According to NPD Group analyst Mat Piscatella, the NES Classic outsold the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One in June when judging by total unit sales, and sales of plug-and-play systems such as the NES Classic and Super NES Classic have led to an increase in overall hardware spending compared to last year.

When factoring in dollar sales rather than unit sales, the PlayStation 4 remained the best-selling system in June. While the NES Classic costs $60 and the SNES Classic costs $80, a new PlayStation 4 will typically set you back anywhere from $300 and $400, depending on whether you opt for the cheaper “slim” model or the beefier PS4 Pro.

If you weren’t able to find an NES Classic Edition when they originally went on sale in 2016, they’re becoming increasingly easy to find. Amazon, for instance, would typically run out of stock in a matter of minutes, but the system is currently available on the website, with an expected shipping date of August 7. GameStop stores also appear to have the systems in stock, and we’ve also seen SNES Classic systems on shelves at retailers like Target.

Despite trailing the NES Classic in total sales, the SNES Classic arguably has a better selection of games. Titles like Final Fantasy VI, Earthbound, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Castlevania IV are among the best video games ever made, and Nintendo plans to continue selling the system through the end of 2018. It’s pretty widely expected that a Nintendo 64 Classic is on the way as well, though we’re not sure it can match the high bar set by its predecessor.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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