PS5 vs PS4: Which is the more successful console generation?

Sony's PS4 was one of the most successful consoles ever released, and it went on to generate 117.2 million units in sales. With the PS5 reaching the mid-gen refresh cycle, all eyes are on its sales numbers. Which is the more successful console generation? PS4 or PS5? Well, that would be the PS5.

This PS5 vs PS4 comparison looks at the PlayStation's sales figures to determine how the console generations have fared over the years.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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PS5 vs PS4: Which is more successful?

Sony Interactive Entertainment believes the PS5 will be the most profitable console generation. However, this console generation isn't over yet, and with the release of the PS5 Pro closer than ever, the PS5 vs PS4 generation battle has become fiercer than we could have imagined. Let's look at how the two consoles fared at the launch vs how they are selling now.

PS5 vs PS4: The first two years

PS5 sales every fiscal year (Image via Sony)

The PS4 suffered from a lack of exclusive games at launch. It also had no backward compatibility system, which was a first for PlayStation and disappointed many fans. However, the console quickly bounced back, and many popular PS3-exclusive titles were made available for it.

These games, including God of War III, The Last of Us, and more, were remastered to provide higher 1080p resolution output and 60 FPS, making the PS4 console very popular among long-time PlayStation fans.

The PS5 also had a rocky launch. It was released to the market just a few months after the pandemic lockdown was lifted. That was a time when inflation and chip storage were gripping every industry, including automobiles, IT, and more, and the PlayStation was no exception. Sony struggled to acquire enough chips to keep up with the demand.

However, the chip shortage slowly went away, and Sony was able to ship more PS5s and satisfy the growing demands. In fact, according to Sony's FY23 Business Segment Meeting, Sony managed to overtake the PS4's install base in Q3 23.

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PS5 vs PS4: Total unit of sales till now

PS5 vs PS4 sales (Image via Sony)

The PS4 managed to sell a total of 117.2 million units throughout its lifetime. This includes the PS4, PS4 Slim, and the PS4 Pro.

According to the latest financial report from Sony, the PS5 has managed to sell 54.7 million units, and we are yet to reach the its mid-cycle refresh.

Sony has stated that the PS5 will soon outsell the PS4 in its FY23 Business Segment Meeting, and there are good reasons for that. The PS5 alone has already secured close to half the sales of the entire PS4 generation, including its three consoles. When the PS5 Pro releases, sales are expected to increase significantly.

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PS5 vs PS4: Other sales

PS5 vs PS4 games and services sales (Image via Sony)

The PS5 has surpassed the PS4 in both game sales and PS Plus subscription revenue. People are spending more and more hours on the PS5 than they do on the PS4. Even the monthly active consoles of the PS5 are projected to surpass that of the PS4 sometime this year.

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Verdict

The PS5 suffered a rocky launch, just as the PS4 did, but it is in a much better position now. Even in its current lifecycle, the PS5 is doing better than the PS4 and is already surpassing its predecessor in terms of game sales, gameplay hours, monthly active users, and more. It is also expected to overtake the PS4's sales figures in the next few years.