Sales of Sony Group Corp’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) have crossed 50 million units, the Japanese electronics giant said yesterday, pointing to “strong momentum” this year for its flagship gaming console.
The PS5 was launched in November 2020, with the world in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its sales initially suffered because of widespread supply chain problems and a global chip shortage.
Still, the PS5 reached the 50-million-unit milestone in almost the same period as its predecessor, the PS4, with Sony saying its flagship console enjoyed “strong momentum” this year.
Photo: AFP
“We’re thrilled that this is the first holiday season since launch that we have a full supply of PS5 consoles — so anyone who wants to get one can get one,” Sony Interactive Entertainment chief executive officer Jim Ryan said in a statement.
Since releasing the first PlayStation in 1994, Sony has grown into a titan of console gaming, a market whose revenue this year has been estimated at more than US$53 billion by industry consultancy Newzoo.
The PS2 remains Sony’s bestselling console with more than 155 million units sold, while the PS4 exceeded 117 million, the company said.
“This is an eye-popping number, given the PS5 hasn’t even been properly available at retail for half of its life cycle,” Tokyo-based industry consultancy Kantan Games Inc chief executive officer Serkan Toto said of the 50 million units sold. “In the end, Sony might actually be able to top the astonishing PS4 lifetime sales.”
The PS5 milestone caps a strong year in gaming for Sony.
In October, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, developed by Sony-owned Insomniac Games Inc, became the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game in the first 24 hours after release.
Sony said that the PS5 also enjoyed a boost this year from the success of games including Baldur’s Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2.
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