PS5 console sales after six years are stronger than PS4 and PS3

| Games News Reporter Published October 30, 2026 1:22pm Updated October 30, 2026 1:22pm The PlayStation 5 has already sold more units than the PlayStation 3 ever did, but could it overtake the PlayStation 4? (Sony/YouTube) New sales data shows that the PlayStation 5 still has plenty of life in it it, while the Xbox Series X continues to struggle. In terms of lifetime sales, the PlayStation 5 only has a little way to go before it can overtake the PlayStation 4. The latter’s last recorded sales numbers stand at 117.2 million, while the former surpassed 95 million over the summer. However, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that despite being nearly six years old, PlayStation 5 sales have yet to slow down. In fact, it saw a 22% boost in the US in September thanks to Insomniac’s Wolverine game. Normally, you’d expect a console’s sales to be in decline after so many years, but the PlayStation 5 is a bit of an anomaly and, as a result, its sales are still outpacing the PlayStation 4. It’s admittedly not that big of a difference. According to sales data from Circana, the PlayStation 5’s life to date sales in the US, which covers 71 months, are 1% higher than what the PlayStation 4 sold in the same period of time. Compared to the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 5’s lifetime-to-date sales are 40% higher. Considering the PlayStation 5 has always been significantly more expensive than the PlayStation 4 ever was, even before the price hike – and has garnered a sour reputation online for its lack of exclusives and Sony’s physical game plans – it is interesting to see that its sales have actually improved since launch. Want GTA 6 news? Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week. This is likely due to the fact that the Xbox Series X/S has offered increasingly little competition as the generation has gone on and anticipation for GTA 6 – which heavily promotes the PlayStation 5 version. As a result there’s increasing rumours that Sony is considering delaying its launch plans for the PlayStation 6, until after next year. After all, there’s no point trying to sell new hardware to an audience that’s still interested in the current one. By comparison, the Xbox Series X/S is doing much worse than its predecessors. By the same 71 month metric, its life to date sales in the US are 28% lower than the Xbox One and 35% lower than the Xbox 360. That’s hardly surprising when all evidence shows Xbox console sales have been declining for two generations now. There’s even proof that Microsoft’s pivot back to exclusives has not helped in the slightest, although Xbox boss Asha Sharma insists there’s ‘more demand than consoles available.’ Her comment might technically be true but only in the sense that Microsoft isn’t even meeting what little demand there is for the Xbox Series X/S, because it’s barely producing any consoles. Locking the new Gears Of War to Xbox did the console no favours (Microsoft) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. Arrow MORE: No more Assassin’s Creed remakes says Ubisoft as Hexe gets new update Arrow MORE: New Nintendo Switch 2 bundle saves you £134 – includes Mario Kart and more Arrow MORE: Games Inbox: What is Patrick Stewart’s best video game role? GameCentral Get the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week.