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Sony’s PlayStation 5 Surpasses Lifetime PS3 Sales in the US
Sony’s PlayStation 5 surpasses PS3’s lifetime U.S. sales less than five years after launch, as it edges closer to global PS3 totals.
Highlights
- PS5 sales in the U.S. have officially surpassed total lifetime PS3 sales, confirming Sony’s fastest domestic console trajectory to date.
- With over 80 million units sold worldwide as of mid-2025, the PlayStation 5 is on course to overtake the PS3’s 88 million lifetime global sales soon.
- The milestone underscores strong sustained demand even five years after launch, keeping the PS5 ahead of Xbox Series X/S by a factor of nearly three.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 has now outsold the PlayStation 3 in lifetime U.S. hardware sales, less than five years after its global November 2020 debut. The milestone was confirmed by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, who shared the data via Bluesky earlier this week. While no specific figures were released, the PS5’s pace marks one of the fastest growth trajectories among all PlayStation generations.
PS5 is Behind Only The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 2 in Cumulative Sales
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Production of the PS3 ran from 2006 to 2016, with approximately 88 million total units shipped worldwide. By mid-2025, Sony confirmed that PS5 sales had reached 80.3 million units globally, only eight million short of surpassing its predecessor’s lifetime total. Analysts predict the current-gen system will eclipse that benchmark within months, especially with upcoming launches such as Grand Theft Auto VI and Marvel’s Wolverine expected to drive Q4 sales spikes.
As of now, the PS5 trails only the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 2 in cumulative sales. The PS4 concluded production in 2022 at around 117 million units sold, while the PS2 remains the all-time leader with over 160 million units shipped globally. Despite today’s slower hardware refresh cycle, the PS5’s adoption rate continues to outperform previous generations at this stage of their lifespan, driven by expanding third-party support and strong brand loyalty.
Meanwhile, competitors have struggled to keep up. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S consoles sit around 30 million units sold as of mid-2025, giving Sony a commanding global market share estimated at roughly 70% in the premium console space. Circana reports PS5 continues to lead U.S. and European sales charts month-over-month, thanks to broad availability, frequent bundles, and platform exclusives such as Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
The milestone also coincides with a broader U.S. sales uptick across new releases. September’s charts showed Borderlands 4 achieving the biggest launch in franchise history, up 30% from its predecessor. Sony’s next challenge lies in sustaining momentum through 2026, as competition from Nintendo’s Switch 2 and expanded mobile-cloud ecosystems intensifies. Still, the PlayStation 5’s ability to surpass PS3 sales within five years cements its standing as one of Sony’s most successful hardware platforms ever, both commercially and culturally.
Author
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
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