PlayStation 5 reaches 50 million units sold, only a week behind the PS4 at the same point in time

We're almost at the end of 2023, but Sony has shared that the PlayStation 5 has now sold more than 50 million units.

More than three years on from its November 12 release date, the PS5 has hit a healthy 50 million units sold, meaning that it's finally catching up to the PS4. The PS4 had managed to hit 50 million units about a week earlier than the PS5 at the same point in its life-cycle; given the extreme supply issues the PS5 suffered from early on in its release, it's impressive the console has managed to catch up. Whether it'll manage to overtake the PS4 is another question, but it's certainly looking positioned to.

Soon to be former PlayStation boss Jim Ryan shared a statement with the sales announcement, saying, "Achieving this PS5 sales milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of the global PlayStation community and their passion for the incredible experiences created by the talented developers from PlayStation Studios and our partners. We're grateful for all of our players who have joined the PS5 journey so far, and 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."

In the press release Sony also noted that the PS5 is "hitting its stride as developers are taking full advantage of the console’s advanced technology," and that "player excitement for PS5 is higher than ever making this the biggest November for PlayStation consoles sold through to consumers." Unsurprisingly this excitement has been attributed to first-party games like Spider-Man 2, as well as third-party titles like game of the year winner Baldur's Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, and the arrival of Roblox on PlayStation, a title that is very popular with many younger players.