Sony has confirmed that PlayStation 5 sales have surpassed 100 million units worldwide, marking a major milestone for the console nearly six years after its launch. However, the latest sales figures show that demand for Sony’s current-generation hardware has slowed compared to last year, even with the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI approaching.
According to Sony’s November 2026 announcement:
The company sold 4.2 million PS5 consoles between April and September 2026. That is a considerable drop from the 6.5 million units sold during the same period in 2025. The decline comes at a time when GTA VI is expected to encourage more players to purchase a new PlayStation console, particularly the PS5 Pro.
With more than 100 million units sold, the PS5 is now Sony’s fourth best-selling console platform. It remains behind the original PlayStation, which sold approximately 102.4 million units, the PlayStation 4 with 117 million units, and the PlayStation 2, which continues to lead the company’s console sales with more than 160 million units. The PS5 has already moved ahead of the PlayStation 3 and PSP in lifetime hardware sales.
Sony’s latest figures also cover software sales across its current and previous console generations. The company reports that combined PS4 and PS5 software sales have reached 1.795 billion units. This figure includes physical games, digital downloads, PS VR titles, and software bundled with PS4 and PS5 consoles
Meanwhile, PlayStation recorded 127 million monthly active users as of September 30, 2026. Sony has not provided a specific forecast for user growth, but the upcoming launch of GTA VI could bring more players to its platform during the holiday shopping season.
Rockstar Games’ next Grand Theft Auto entry has already generated considerable demand, reportedly setting a pre-order record on both the PlayStation and Xbox digital stores. Previous reports have also linked GTA VI to increased demand for the PS5 Pro, with stock reportedly disappearing from several retailers and resale prices increasing as availability became limited.
Although PS5 hardware sales have slowed during the first half of Sony’s fiscal year, GTA VI could provide another reason for players to upgrade or purchase their first current-generation console. With the PS6 reportedly expected around 2028, Sony still has time to increase PS5 lifetime sales before moving to its next hardware generation.
