PS5 outsold Xbox Series X by more than double in Q1 2021, analyst reports

PS5 outsold Xbox Series X and S by more than double in the first quarter of 2021, according to new market research from an independent analyst group.

Ampere Analysis put its global sales data for the two new-gen consoles, as well as Nintendo Switch, side by side by side in a new report. According to Ampere's figures, Sony sold 2.83 million PS5 systems to consumers from January through March of this year, while Microsoft sold 1.31 million Xbox Series X and S consoles. Sales for both would have likely been higher if not for supply constraints such as the global semiconductor shortage made it harder to find PS5 stock and Xbox Series X stock.

"Under these conditions, both versions of PlayStation 5 combined outsold both versions of Xbox Series consoles by more than 2 to 1," analyst Piers Harding-Rolls wrote. "Sony will be pleased that its PS4 market share is continuing into the new generation but it is very hard to gauge real demand under the current market conditions."

It's good news for Sony, but even better news for Nintendo: the reported Switch console sales of 5.86 million during the first quarter of 2021 are more than the new PlayStations and Xboxes put together. Granted, the supply situation for Switch is much less constrained, and as Harding-Rolls points out, Switch is "at the peak of its sales cycle" while the newer consoles still have years to go until they reach that point.

Sony has confirmed that it's selling PS5 consoles at a loss, but at least it's generating record gaming revenue while it does so.