Thanks to a number of factors, including the silicon shortage and supply line issues brought about by a certain world health event, the PlayStation 5 had something of a slow start compared to its predecessors. According to Sony, sales numbers have picked up since then.

Sony sold 2.8 million units in the most recent financial quarter, bringing the total lifetime sales up to 77.8 million consoles. This is down by 1.7m compared to figures from the same period the previous year. However, the quarter before was the best-selling for the PS5, with 9.5 million sales over a period that included the holiday season.

Despite this drop, the PS5 sales figures remain roughly equivalent to the PS4, which by the same time in its life cycle had sold 79.1m consoles. In fact, the gaming sector in general is doing quite well, with overall sales up nine percent and operating income up by 43 percent.

Third-party sales leading the way

Much of this increase is down to an increase in third-party game sales. Sony appears to be relying on these third-party sales to keep things rolling. Sony has not had a major first-party release since Astro Bot. Though that game did phenomenally well, selling 1.5 million copies, it was released in September 2024.

Based on previous data gathered from other consoles, Sony seems to be anticipating a drop in console sales. This would indicate that PS5 sales are past the peak.

Sony has also increased the price of the digital PS5 in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, which may put some users off a purchase. Microsoft has likewise raised prices of its Xbox consoles and peripherals, and some analysts speculate these price rises are to cushion price shocks that may come from US trade tariffs, which have been all over the place lately.

About the Author

Rebecca Hills-Duty

Writing and journalism experience at VRFocus, UploadVR, The Escapist, HTC, PC Gamer, Tech Radar+ and Dexerto. Can sometimes be found playing with retro tech.