The five biggest-selling gaming consoles

From the first video game consoles of the 1970s to the Nintendo Switch 2 due out tomorrow, hundreds of millions have been sold to players eager to immerse themselves in their favourite franchises from Assassin's Creed to Zelda.

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The five most popular consoles have sold around 700 million units between them.

PLAYSTATION 2: 160 MILLION

Japanese tech and entertainment giant Sony sparked a global frenzy with the release of PlayStation 2 in 2000.

A midnight launch in the United States stoked excitement and in some areas people stormed shops to make sure they got their hands on a unit.

Its initial success was built on its backwards compatibility — players could still enjoy original PlayStation games — and its ability to play DVDs.

Ironically critics were unimpressed with the initial slate of games for the console.

But a string of hits from franchises including Grand Theft Auto, Grand Turismo, Final Fantasy, Tekken and Metal Gear Solid helped kick the console into stratospheric popularity.

On its website, Sony says it sold more than 160 million units of the PlayStation 2 around the world.

NINTENDO DS: 154 MILLION