A video game console is a standardized computing device tailored for video gaming. The compact size of video game consoles allows them to be easily used in a variety of locations, making them portable. Video game consoles may use one or more data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, optical discs, and memory cards for downloaded content. A home video game console requires a computer monitor or television set as an output. Handheld controllers are commonly used as input devices. Sanders Associates engineer Ralph H. Baer along with company employees Bill Harrison and Bill Rusch licensed their television gaming technology to contemporary major TV manufacturer Magnavox. This resulted in the 1972 release of the Magnavox Odyssey—the first commercially available video game console. A handheld game console is a lightweight device with a built-in screen, controls, speakers, and has greater portability than a standard video game console. It is capable of playing multiple games unlike tabletop and handheld electronic game devices. The oldest handheld game console with interchangeable cartridges is the Milton Bradley Microvision from 1979. Nintendo is credited with popularizing the handheld console concept with the Game Boy's release in 1989 and continued to dominate the handheld console market into the early 2000s. Virtual reality headsets are head-mounted devices with built-in screens that are positioned in front of the user’s eyes. VR headsets intended to play virtual reality games may have handheld controllers and position-tracking accelerometers for user input. Most of these are devices that must be connected to a game console or gaming PC, but some are standalone game consoles, such as the Quest 2 released by Meta Platforms. Dedicated consoles are a subset of game consoles that are only able to play built-in games. Video game consoles in general are also described as "dedicated" in distinction from the more versatile personal computer and other consumer electronics.

Best-selling game consoles

The following table contains video game consoles that have sold at least 1 million units worldwide either through to consumers or inside retail channels. Each console include sales from every iteration unless otherwise noted. The years correspond to when the initial iteration of the console was first released (excluding test markets).