In light of initial production challenges, over 80.2 million PlayStation 5 consoles have been successfully sold
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) has been making steady progress in terms of sales, with Sony reporting that 20.9 million units were sold in 2023. This figure adds to the 7.8 million units sold in the fiscal year 2020, 11.5 million units in the fiscal year 2021, and 19.1 million units in the fiscal year 2022. As of the first quarter of 2025, the PS5 has sold over 80.2 million units.
However, these numbers pale in comparison to the PlayStation 4 (PS4), which has been a runaway success for Sony. In the fiscal year 2013, the PS4 sold 7.6 million units, followed by 14.8 million units in the fiscal year 2014, 17.7 million units in the fiscal year 2015, 20 million units in the fiscal year 2016, and 19 million units in the fiscal year 2017. By the same period after its launch, the PS4 had sold 82.3 million units.
As of mid-2025, the PS4 has sold about 117-121 million units lifetime, while the PS5 has sold around 77-80 million units. Sony confirmed that the PS5 hardware sales reached 80.3 million units by the end of Q1 FY2025, slightly behind the PS4's 82.3 million units at a comparable point in its lifecycle.
The high demand for the PS5, supply chain issues, and resellers have made it difficult to buy for the first few years of its life. However, the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to boost the sales of the PS5, potentially helping it close the gap with the PS4.
Sony's earnings report provides detailed PS5 sales data, and the PS5 total sales are reported around 77.4 million units as of June 2025 according to sales tracking. The PS5 remains about 3.2 million units behind the PS4 when aligned by launch date.
In summary, the PS4 has sold roughly 40 million more units than the PS5 to date, although the PS5 is making significant progress. This comparison reflects that the PS5, released later and facing supply constraints early on, still trails the highly successful PS4 in total units sold but is steadily closing the gap.
Gaming enthusiasts who were eagerly awaiting the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 may find solace in the fact that the anticipated game could bolster sales of the PlayStation 5 (PS5), helping it decrease the significant gap that currently exists between the PS5's gadget sales and those of the PlayStation 4 (PS4). Despite the challenging first few years due to high demand, supply chain issues, and resellers, technology has played a crucial role in propelling the PS5's sales, with Sony reporting that around 77.4 million units have been sold as of June 2025.
