On November 15, 2013, the PS4 was released to compete with Microsoft‘s recently successful Xbox 360. However, the competition soon turned in favor of Sony, and with the new generation, it appears that the trend will continue. But which of the two most recent PlayStation models has sold more within the same time frame?
PS5 and PS4 Matches
Sony released its latest gaming console, the PS5, in November 2020, seven years after the PS4 hit the market. Despite facing supply chain challenges and shortages in its early months, the PS5 has held its own against its predecessor in terms of sales during the first 30 months. While the PS4 has sold nearly 120 million units since its release, the PS5’s sales curve has been practically on par with that of the PS4, despite its slow start.
It’s important to note that the PS5 had a difficult time establishing itself in stores due to the pandemic-related disruptions in the global supply chain, which affected the availability of semiconductors and other key components. However, even with these challenges, the sales comparison between the PS4 and PS5 in their first 30 months makes it clear that both consoles have been selling at similar rates.
The above image illustrates that in the first year of their respective releases, both PS4 and PS5 sold 15 million units in the same period. However, due to stock shortages, the sales of PS5 have remained slightly below those of its predecessor. This trend persisted until March 2023, when a surge in PS5 sales was observed, closing the gap between the two generations.
Sony can only hope to get better
As previously mentioned, the shortage of available units in stores has been the main obstacle preventing the PS5 from achieving truly remarkable sales figures. Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind that the period between January 2021 and now is an aberration caused by the pandemic’s impact on the supply of components such as chips.
In just under 30 months since its launch, Sony has nearly sold 40 million PS5 consoles worldwide, which puts it on par with the PS4. The PS4 is currently the fifth best-selling console of all time, behind PS2, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, and Game Boy, so Sony is operating at the highest possible level in terms of sales.
Despite the stock shortages, Sony is confident that it can surpass the sales numbers of the previous generation. This is supported by data, and they are optimistic about their ability to reach this milestone. Do you think they will be able to achieve it?
