Sony has called the PS5 its most financially successful console generation to date. This was revealed by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino during his recent keynote speech, delivered in Japanese at Tokyo Game Show.
According to Nishino’s presentation, Sony’s Game & Network Services (G&NS) division, which includes Sony Interactive Entertainment, has generated $136 billion in sales during the PS5 generation so far (2020 onwards). This suppasses sales made during the reign of all previous Sony consoles, making the PS5 the “most successful generation to date.”
In comparison, G&NS made $107 billion from 2013-2019, aka the PS4 generation. The graph revealed that, over the past 31 years since the original PS1’s launch, each subsequent console generation has brought in more money than the last. For reference, sales during the PS3 lifecycle were $71 billion, the PS2 $44 billion, and the PS1 $24 billion.
It’s worth noting Sony clarified that the revenue figures are based on the average U.S. dollar / yen exchange rate during each console era, and accounting standards transitioned from U.S. GAAP to IFRS after 2020.
It should be emphasized that these revenue figures encompass sales across the entire G&NS business during the time periods in question. So, that huge $136 billion in sales during the PS5 generation will include money Sony continues to make from PS4 hardware and software.
Although the PS5 is apparently “the most successful generation,” the console itself has had its price hiked up numerous times across different regions, with Sony often citing the “challenging economic environment” among the reasons. Most recently, in August, PS5 consoles got a $50 price bump in the U.S.
Despite the backlash that these increases have generated, it seems that the PS5 is continuing to pick up new users. According to Sony’s most recent sales data, PS5 consoles have sold an estimated combined total of over 80.3 million units worldwide (as of June 30, 2025). However total PS4 console unit sales still outnumber this, at 117.2 million.
“We think that PlayStation is not only the hardware, not only the games but the overall experience,” explained Nishino, who went on to describe PlayStation as an ecosystem that connects players and creators. His keynote speech also covered in detail how the PlayStation Store had continued to evolve since its initial launch alongside the PS3 back in 2006. “With the evolution of the Store, we have continued to push the limits of play,” Nishino noted. “We strive to be the best place for players to play, and for creators to publish.”
Nishino-san says PlayStation 5 is the most successful generation in PlayStation history. pic.twitter.com/E5feupYHGr
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) September 25, 2025
Although Nishino failed to specify how PlayStation services will evolve in the future, he did mention using user data to provide a more personal experience for players and to allow publishers to market games to their target audience more easily. He added that Sony is working on strategies to maximize growth for each kind of game content (which it defines as Full Game, P2P Live Service, and F2P Live Services).
As well as mentioning how the PlayStation Store allows creators to make their games available to players around the globe, Nishino also specifically addressed the Japanese publishers in attendance at TGS, saying: “I believe that the demand for Japanese games is on the rise worldwide. Japanese publishers have been essential to the PlayStation’s success since the very beginning, and we strongly believe that they will continue to be so. Going forward, we would like to continue to be a hub for disseminating excellent Japanese content to the world.”
What of the future? We’re nearly five years into the current console lifecycle — for Microsoft and Sony that is — and so it is perhaps inevitable that credible rumors around what both companies have up their sleeves in terms of hardware are ramping up. This latest rumor suggests Sony plans to follow the PS5 with a PlayStation 6 handheld as well as a traditional home console.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
