Sony has announced through a press release that its PlayStation 5 console has hit a staggering 50 million total sales over the three years it has been on the market. This comes extremely close to what the PlayStation 4 achieved in a similar time frame, as it also sold 50 million units in around 3 years. The figures mentioned above end as of December 9, 2023.
According to Sony, the PlayStation 5 fell behind the record set by its predecessor by only one week. That means that the PlayStation 5 is hot on the heels of the PS4, and should continue Sony’s sales streaks in the future. The PS4 needed 160 weeks to hit 50 million sales, while the PlayStation 5 made it to 50 million in 161 weeks, losing by a hair’s breadth.
Sony also confirmed that the PlayStation 5 did edge out a big win. Because November 2023 was the best month in terms of console sales in PlayStation history, yes, even the PlayStation 2.
PlayStation 5 Sales Record & Future Availability
Jim Ryan, Sony’s CEO, who is hanging up his hat in 2024, said:
[These sales figures are] a testament to the unwavering support of the global PlayStation community and their passion for the incredible experiences created by the talented developers from PlayStation Studios and our partners.
Sony Press Release
He went on to confirm that Sony will ensure that the PlayStation 5 is stocked on shelves over the holiday season and beyond. This should end the shortage issues faced in previous years when fans found it nearly impossible to get their hands on the console.
What makes these sales figures truly impressive is that this generation of consoles really blurred the lines between the two generations. Unlike how things were done before the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, there were a lot more cross-generational releases that allowed the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One console cycles to continue beyond the release of their respective successors.
The sizable uptick in console sales can also be attributed to the spectacular launch of Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man 2. Which continues to make big numbers even now.
