Also noteworthy that not only are PS5 sales behind PS4, but the PlayStation’s competition has almost entirely disappeared, and that hasn’t resulted in more PlayStations sold.
Also noteworthy that not only are PS5 sales behind PS4, but the PlayStation’s competition has almost entirely disappeared, and that hasn’t resulted in more PlayStations sold.
PS4 was when xbox users switched over to PlayStation.
PS5 was when PS4 users users switched back to the roots, a PC.
This headline would imply that PS4 users are upgrading to PS5 at almost the same rate that they upgraded or moved to the PS4.
Honestly, it’s pretty surprising considering the PS4 is still kind of a current console. I’d think a lot of people would be satisfied staying with the PS4 and still getting most of the games that are coming out.
It’s a growing market though.
Xbox one and X/S sales are neck in neck with xbox 360 sales too.
Wouldn’t that imply it’s not a growing market anymore?
Yes, if PC sales wouldn’t be growing
https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-04-14-gartner-says-worldwide-pc-shipments-increased-4-point-8-percent-in-first-quarter-of-2025?
Not ice the jump in 2020 when the PS5 released.
I think the jump is more Covid related than having to do with any of the other consoles.
Possible, but the market grew after that as well, while consoles stagnated.
I got a PC in 2020 when PS5 was released for 1200€ at your scalper of choice. So the statistics reflect my own switch perfectly.
If you already have a PC, no matter how old and shoddy, you will be able to run games on it and become a PC gamer. There was no investment hurdle in 2020, while you need a console to become a console gamer, so you need to buy one first. Most people do have a PC for non gaming uses anyways.
This is also why mobile gaming is so widespread now. People have a phone anyways, so might as well install a game or two on it.
Yes, its a mature market. We are likely at a point where a new competitor or innovation focused incumbent takes a swing at a new tech.
This is true for me. I did not buy a ps5, but instead a PC. There are no games on ps5 that I want to play that I cannot play on PC.
And the more people do the same the less console exclusives there will be (outside of the Nintendo ecosystem)
And this coming release will be the first time I’m not going to bother about a new Nintendo console going back to the original. For context, I even like the Virtual Boy. Nintendo has done everything possible to make themselves unlikable.
Yeah, the hardest thing is really going to be GTA6. The reason I bought a PS4 was GTA5. Needing to wait 2 years to play GTA6 on PC will be a tough thing to swing.