The PlayStation 5 just had the biggest console launch in US history, besting its own record with the PS4

• The PlayStation 5 has only been available for a few weeks, but it's already achieved one major sales milestone: It had "the highest launch month unit and dollar sales" of any video game console ever released in the United States, according to the NPD Group.
• Sony bested itself in setting the record — the PlayStation 4 launch back in November 2013 was the last record holder.
• It's unclear how Sony's PlayStation 5 sales compared to Microsoft's Xbox Series S and Series X consoles, but the resale market has demonstrated a disparity of nearly two-to-one.

The PlayStation 5 is off to a huge start: Its mid-November launch was the biggest in US history, according to market analytics firm the NPD Group.

"PlayStation 5 achieved the highest launch month unit and dollar sales for a video game hardware platform in US history," NPD video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella said.

The last record holder was the PlayStation 4, back in November 2013.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

It's unclear how PlayStation 5 sales compared to those of Microsoft's Xbox Series S and Series X consoles, but the resale market provides a clue: The PS5 has been outselling the Xbox consoles by nearly two-to-one, according to the resale website StockX.

Console wars aside, Piscatella said that both console launches were responsible for a massive spike in consumer hardware sales during November: Americans spent a record $1.4 billion on new video game consoles last month, he said.

In 2020 alone, Americans have spent over $4 billion on video game consoles - a 34% increase over 2019.

Beyond Microsoft and Sony's new boxes, Nintendo's Switch enjoyed a huge November: More Switch consoles were sold in November than either the PlayStation 5 or new Xbox consoles. And November makes the Switch's sales dominance a two-year record - it's been the best-selling console every month, by units sold, for 24 months straight.

Got a tip? Contact Business Insider senior correspondent Ben Gilbert via email (bgilbert@businessinsider.com), or Twitter DM (@realbengilbert). We can keep sources anonymous. Use a non-work device to reach out. PR pitches by email only, please.