The PS5 generation reaches a new milestone in the history of the consoles with the highest number of sales
Sony can boast a historic victory: The PlayStation 5 has outsold all Xbox consoles launched to date. According to the latest official data, the Sony console has achieved 84.2 million units soldwhich even places it above Microsoft’s most successful model, the Xbox 360, which stood at 84 million.
The data is symbolic, but strong. Microsoft has never revealed official sales figures for its original Xbox or the current generation (Series X/S), but the comparison serves to illustrate something that many have already guessed: Sony has maintained a consistent lead in the console warseven in the face of the initial push of the competition.
The PS5 outperformed all Xbox systems
The special 30th anniversary edition of PS5 Pro was the backdrop to this historic brand. The console continues to sell at a good pace even against rivals such as the Nintendo Switch 2, which strengthens Sony’s position before the arrival of its inevitable successor, the PS6.
While the credit is all about surpassing the Xbox 360, the fact that the PS5 managed to do so in just four years of commercial life is telling. Unlike the golden age of the Xbox 360, which benefited from the rise of online gaming and iconic titles like Halo 3 or Gears of war—, The PS5 triumphed in a more competitive and fragmented market, including the chip crisis. Its technical performance, DualSense controller with haptic feedback and its strong commitment to immersive narrative experiences have been key to its global success.
Why did the PS5 surpass the Xbox Series X/S?
Microsoft started this generation with a bang, promising an arsenal of exclusives and a game-changing Game Pass. But when the announcements came, Sony has delivered solid results: high-end exclusives such as Spider-Man 2, God of War: Ragnarök Yes Final FantasyXVIalong with a solid catalog in PlayStation Plus Extras which competes directly with Game Pass.
The problem for Xbox has been its erratic strategy. The massive purchase of studios like Bethesda or Activision Blizzard has not translated into consistent releases, and Game Pass’s price increases have eroded its core advantage. Added to this is a controversial movement: bring your classic sagas to other platformswhich, while expanding its audience, it dilutes the Xbox brand identity.
Against Halo coming to PS5 and The Sea of Thieves available on Switch, many players are wondering what the point is in continuing to invest in an Xbox console. Sony, on the other hand, has managed to keep its ecosystem closed, strengthening the perception of value and exclusivity that has given it so many advantages for two decades.
Microsoft has confirmed that it works a new generation of Xboxbut the current prospects are not encouraging. Nintendo and Sony dominate the domestic market, and Valve has also entered the field Steam bridge and its future hybrid console. In this context the question is inevitable: is there room for another Xbox attempt?
For now the answer seems clear. The PS5 won not only in sales, but also in narrative: Sony’s console is perceived as the benchmark for modern interactive entertainment, while Microsoft struggles to redefine its identity in an industry it has already judged.
