According to Windows Report | Error-free Tech Life, Sony’s PlayStation 5 has officially outsold every single Xbox console ever released. The PS5 has reached 84.2 million units sold worldwide since its 2020 debut, surpassing the Xbox 360’s lifetime total of around 84 million units. This puts the PS5 at ninth place on the all-time best-selling consoles list, just behind the PlayStation 3. What’s remarkable is that the PS5 achieved this milestone in just five years, while the Xbox 360 took an entire decade to reach similar numbers. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X|S consoles stood at only 28.3 million units as of mid-2024, with the company remaining notably quiet about current-generation sales figures.
The console wars just got real
Here’s the thing about these numbers – they’re absolutely brutal for Microsoft. When you combine the Xbox Series X|S sales with the Xbox One’s roughly 58 million units, you’re still looking at numbers that trail Sony’s single PS5 console. That’s two generations of Xbox hardware being outsold by one PlayStation generation. And Microsoft’s silence on current sales? That speaks volumes. They’ve basically stopped reporting hardware numbers entirely, which tells you everything you need to know about how this generation is going.
Sony’s unstoppable momentum
The PS5 isn’t just winning – it’s accelerating. Five years in, and there are no signs of this console slowing down. We’ve got new titles constantly dropping, potential hardware revisions coming, and a massive installed base that keeps developers focused on the platform. Compare that to Microsoft’s strategy, which seems increasingly focused on Game Pass and multi-platform releases. It’s a completely different approach to the market. Sony’s sticking with the traditional console model, and honestly? It’s working spectacularly well for them.
gaming”>What this actually means for gaming
So where does this leave us? Well, for starters, the PlayStation brand has cemented its dominance in a way we haven’t seen since the PS2 era. But here’s an interesting thought – does console hardware sales even matter as much anymore? Microsoft seems to be betting that it doesn’t, focusing instead on subscription services and putting their games everywhere. Meanwhile, Sony’s proving that there’s still massive value in owning the living room hardware. Both strategies can’t be right, can they? Looking at Sony’s financial reports, it’s clear which approach is winning the revenue battle right now.
What comes next?
The PS5 is almost certainly going to pass the PlayStation 3’s 87 million units soon – we’re talking months, not years. At that point, it becomes a race to see if it can catch the Nintendo Wii and possibly even the original PlayStation. But the real question is what Microsoft does from here. Do they double down on hardware with the next generation? Or do they fully embrace being a third-party publisher? According to GamesRadar’s analysis, the gap is only widening. This isn’t just a sales victory – it’s a statement about where the industry’s center of gravity has permanently shifted.
