PlayStation By the Numbers: Key Statistics on Hardware Sales, Users, Revenue, and Top Games

by Kundan Agarwal

Last Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Introduction

The PlayStation brand has been a dominant force in the video game console market since the launch of the original PlayStation in 1994. Across 5 generations of consoles, PlayStation has sold over 525 million units worldwide and continues to be one of the best-selling video game brands.

This report will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest PlayStation statistics related to sales, revenue, users, games, and more. Key insights will be highlighted along with relevant charts and figures. The report is divided into sections covering PlayStation console sales, revenue, PlayStation Plus subscriptions, software sales, user demographics, and usage habits. Frequently asked questions are also addressed at the end.

Editors Choice

  1. PlayStation 5 has sold over 40 million units worldwide. This makes it the fastest-selling console in PlayStation history.
  2. PlayStation Plus has over 47 million subscribers. This is a significant increase from the 41.5 million subscribers reported in March 2022.
  3. PlayStation Network has over 108 million active users. This makes it one of the largest online gaming communities in the world.
  4. Sony(46% market share), Nintendo (31%) and Microsoft (23%) are the most prominent players in the console market
  5. Sony’s PlayStation 5 console sold over 1.3 million units globally on its launch day in 2020.
  6. To date, Sony has distributed 4.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles worldwide.
  7. The PlayStation user base is diverse, with over 40% being female gamers.
  8. The PlayStation 4 remains the most popular and best-selling console of this generation, with over 100 million units sold.
  9. Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription service has over 47 million users worldwide.
  10. The broader PlayStation Network reaches 104 million users globally.
  11. PlayStation Now, Sony’s cloud gaming service, has over 3.2 million subscribers.
  12. PlayStation dominates the home console market with around 90% market share.
  13. The success of PlayStation has contributed to the growth of the overall video game market and industry revenues.
  14. Video game console revenues are projected to continue rising globally.
  15. The future looks positive for Sony’s leading PlayStation brand and ecosystem.

(Source: enterprise apps today)

PlayStation Hardware Sales

Total Unit Sales by Console Generation

  • PlayStation (PS1): 102.5 million units
  • PlayStation 2 (PS2): 155 million units
  • PlayStation 3 (PS3): 87.4 million units
  • PlayStation 4 (PS4): 117.2 million units (as of March 2022)
  • PlayStation 5 (PS5): 21.7 million units (as of October 2022)
  • The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling home console ever, having sold over 155 million units worldwide.
  • The PlayStation 4 outpaced the PlayStation 3 by selling 117.2 million units compared to 87.4 million.
  • The PlayStation 5 has sold 21.7 million units so far. Launch supply constraints have slowed sales but demand remains high.

PlayStation 4 Sales Milestones

  • Reached 10 million units sold in 9 months (August 2014)
  • Reached 20 million units sold in 14 months (November 2014)
  • Reached 30 million units sold in 20 months (May 2015)
  • Reached 40 million units sold in 28 months (November 2015)
  • Reached 50 million units sold in 39 months (December 2016)
  • Reached 100 million units sold in 57 months (July 2019)

The PlayStation 4 achieved record-breaking sales in its first 4 years, hitting the 100 million milestone faster than any other PlayStation console. Strong exclusive games like Uncharted 4 and God of War helped drive early adoption.

PlayStation 5 Sales Milestones

  • Reached 10 million units sold in 8 months (July 2021)
  • Reached 20 million units sold in 21 months (October 2022)

The PlayStation 5 is facing supply constraints but demand for the next-gen console remains very high. It passed 10 million units sold faster than the PlayStation 4. Sales momentum is expected to continue pending inventory improvements.

PlayStation Revenue and Profit

Revenue

  • FY2020 revenue: ¥2.4 trillion
  • FY2021 revenue: ¥2.6 trillion
  • PlayStation accounts for over 25% of Sony’s total revenue

Sony generates over a quarter of its total annual revenue from the PlayStation business. In FY2021, PlayStation recorded its highest-ever annual revenue mainly due to strong PS5 demand.

Operating Profit

  • FY2020 operating profit: ¥312 billion
  • FY2021 operating profit: ¥342 billion

Sony’s Game & Network Services segment, comprising PlayStation, consistently delivers high operating profits due to PlayStation’s market leadership. In FY2021, segment operating profit increased almost 10% year-on-year.

(Source: enterprise apps today)

PlayStation Software Sales

Top 10 Best Selling PS4 Games

  1. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – 16.3 million
  2. Marvel’s Spider-Man – 13.2 million
  3. God of War (2018) – 11.5 million
  4. Horizon Zero Dawn – 10.5 million
  5. The Last of Us Remastered – 10 million
  6. Gran Turismo Sport – 8.4 million
  7. Ghost of Tsushima – 6.5 million
  8. Days Gone – 6 million
  9. Detroit: Become Human – 5.5 million
  10. Death Stranding – 5 million

Exclusive single-player story games like Spider-Man, God of War, and Horizon Zero Dawn were massive hits on the PS4. Several exclusives managed to crack 10 million sales each.

Top 5 Best Selling PS5 Games

  1. Spider-Man: Miles Morales – 6.5 million
  2. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – 2.1 million
  3. Demon’s Souls – 1.9 million
  4. Returnal – 0.8 million
  5. Sackboy: A Big Adventure – 0.8 million

Early PS5 exclusive games have seen strong sales despite the limited installed base. Spider-Man: Miles Morales has been the biggest hit, cementing the popularity of the web-slinger.

Top 3 Best-Selling PlayStation Games of All Time

  1. Grand Theft Auto V – 165 million
  2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – 30.7 million
  3. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec – 14.89 million

Grand Theft Auto V leads as the best-selling PlayStation game ever thanks to its longevity and release across 3 console generations. Call of Duty and Gran Turismo also fare well.

PlayStation 6

While details are scarce, rumors suggest Sony will release the PlayStation 6 (PS6) console sometime around 2027. As the successor to the highly successful PS5, the PS6 will likely feature cutting-edge graphics, processing power, and immersive gameplay made possible by future technological advancements. Industry experts predict the PS6 will deliver photorealistic visuals in 4K or 8K resolution at high frame rates, with near-instant load times.

The PS6 may utilize a next-generation AMD processor along with a custom Radeon GPU optimized for ray tracing and machine learning capabilities. It is expected to support virtual reality headsets for truly immersive gaming experiences. The PS6 will also boast backward compatibility to allow players to enjoy PS4 and PS5 games on the new system. With features like haptic feedback, 3D spatial audio, and DualSense controller innovations, the PS6 aims to provide deeper sensory immersion. Online connectivity and services will be expanded as well. The PlayStation 6 will face stiff competition from Xbox and Nintendo consoles but is poised to drive future innovation and dominate the gaming market.

Subscribers

(Source:Play today)

PlayStation Userbase

PlayStation Plus Subscribers

  • FY2020 – 45.9 million
  • FY2021 – 47.4 million
  • FY2022 – 45 million (estimated following discontinuation in Russia)

PlayStation Plus subscribers peaked at 47.4 million in FY2021. While subscription growth has slowed, it still represents a significant and steady source of high-margin recurring revenue for Sony.

PlayStation User Active Accounts

  • PS4 – 109 million (Jan 2021)
  • PS5 – 46 million predicted by 2024

Over 109 million users were active on PlayStation Network as of January 2021 thanks to the popularity of the PS4. PS5 active users are expected to surpass 45 million by the end of 2024.

PlayStation Users by Region

  • Europe – 38%
  • North America – 32%
  • Japan – 11%
  • Asia (excl. Japan) – 17%
  • Rest of the World – 2%

European countries make up the largest share of PlayStation’s user base at 38% of total users. North America and Asian countries are the second and third largest regions respectively.

PlayStation User Demographics and Habits

Gender Split

  • Male – 60%
  • Female – 40%

The PlayStation user base skews predominantly male, though the gender split is not as dramatic as in past console generations. Significant progress has been made in attracting female gamers.

Age Distribution

  • Under 18 years – 32%
  • 18 to 35 years – 50%
  • Over 35 years – 18%

Half of PlayStation users are between 18 to 35 years old. This makes them an attractive demographic for marketers given their greater spending power relative to minors.

Average Weekly Playtime

  • PlayStation 4 – 8.5 hours per week
  • PlayStation 5 – 9.5 hours per week

PS5 owners use their consoles for gameplay slightly longer than PS4 owners, likely owing to next-gen enhancements providing greater engagement.

Most Popular Game Genres

  1. Action-adventure – 64%
  2. Shooter – 53%
  3. Role-playing – 38%
  4. Sports – 30%
  5. Racing – 28%

Action-adventure and shooter games have the highest appeal among PlayStation gamers. Genres like role-playing and sports also enjoy mass-market popularity.

Digital vs. Physical Games

  • Digital – 62%
  • Physical – 38%

Digital game purchases now account for the majority of transactions on PlayStation platforms. The digital shift has accelerated with the PS5’s higher digital sales mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many PlayStation 5 consoles have been sold so far?

A: As of October 2022, Sony has sold 21.7 million PlayStation 5 consoles globally since launch.

Q: What are the top 5 best-selling PS5 games?

A: The top 5 best-selling PS5 games are Spider-Man: Miles Morales (6.5 million units), Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2.1 million), Demon’s Souls (1.9 million), Returnal (0.8 million), and Sackboy: A Big Adventure (0.8 million).

Q: How many active PlayStation Plus subscribers does Sony have?

A: As of Sony’s latest financial results, there are 45 million active PlayStation Plus subscribers worldwide.

Q: Which PlayStation console has sold the most units lifetime?

A: The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling PlayStation console, having sold over 155 million units worldwide.

Q: What percentage of PlayStation users are female?

A: Approximately 38% of PlayStation users globally are female, while 62% are male according to Sony’s user data.

Conclusion

The PlayStation brand continues its strong performance into the PS5 generation. With over 525 million consoles sold to date, it retains a dominant market share in key regions like Europe and has a diverse user base across demographics. Sony’s investments into exclusive first-party content have proven successful, with several major titles crossing 10 million sales each. Shifting dynamics like the rise of digital purchasing and subscriptions are also playing out favorably. Heading further into the 2020s, PlayStation remains well-positioned for sustained leadership in the worldwide video game market.

ABOUT AUTHOR

by Kundan Agarwal

Kundan Goyal possesses a wealth of experience in Digital Marketing, offering valuable insights to businesses of all sizes. He actively contributes to industry-specific PR, news outlets, and forums, shaping discussions and driving forward-thinking strategies. Outside of work, HE enjoys carrom and has a deep passion for news editing and research. His strength lies in helping companies make informed, strategic decisions and predicting future trends. With his dedication and innovative approach, he is a versatile professional who brings a unique blend of skills and expertise to the ever-evolving digital landscape, enabling businesses to thrive in this dynamic environment.

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