The PlayStation 5 just achieved something that perfectly encapsulates the current state of the console wars. As of September 30, 2025, Sony’s latest console has sold 84.2 million units worldwide in exactly five years since launch. That number officially surpasses every single Xbox console Microsoft has ever released, including the Xbox 360 which peaked at approximately 84 million units before being discontinued in 2016. The timing couldn’t be more symbolic, with this milestone landing on the PS5’s fifth anniversary on November 12, 2025.
This isn’t just a minor statistical victory. It represents a complete reversal from the Xbox 360 era when Microsoft genuinely competed with Sony for console dominance. The Xbox 360 sold roughly the same number of units as the PS3, maintaining competitive parity through most of the seventh generation. Now, five years into the current generation, the PS5 has already matched that entire lifetime while the Xbox Series X and S trail at approximately 33.4 million units, creating a 44.8 million unit gap that keeps growing. Microsoft’s decision to stop reporting console sales in 2014 looks more prescient and more damning with each passing quarter.
The Numbers That Tell the Story
Sony announced during their Q2 fiscal year 2025 earnings report that the PS5 sold 3.9 million units during the three-month period ending September 30, bringing lifetime sales to 84.2 million. That’s actually up from 3.8 million units in the same quarter last year, proving the console maintains momentum five years post-launch. The PlayStation Network reached 119 million monthly active users, up from 116 million in Q2 2024, showing ecosystem growth beyond just hardware sales.
The comparison to Xbox becomes stark when you look at the actual figures. The Xbox 360, Microsoft’s best-selling console ever, sold approximately 84 million units across its entire lifespan from 2005 to 2016. The original Xbox moved about 24 million units. The Xbox One is estimated at 50-58 million units, though Microsoft stopped providing official numbers. The current Xbox Series X and S generation sits at roughly 33.4 million units as of mid-2025. No Xbox generation has matched what the PS5 accomplished in five years, and the current generation isn’t even close.
The Caveat About Xbox 360 Numbers
It’s worth noting that Microsoft’s last official Xbox 360 sales figure was 84 million units reported in June 2014, two years before the console was discontinued. Some estimates suggest the 360 ultimately sold closer to 85-86 million units by the time production fully ceased. However, without official confirmation from Microsoft, the generally accepted figure remains at approximately 84 million. Either way, the PS5 has definitively surpassed it or will within the next quarterly report, making the overall conclusion unchanged.
How Did Microsoft Lose This Badly
The Xbox One generation is where Microsoft’s competitive position collapsed. The console launched in 2013 at $499, $100 more expensive than the PS4, because Microsoft bundled the mandatory Kinect sensor that nobody wanted. The always-online DRM requirements and used game restrictions announced at E3 2013 created a PR disaster that Sony ruthlessly exploited with their now-legendary “this is how you share games on PS4” video showing one person physically handing a disc to another. Microsoft reversed those policies before launch, but the damage was done.
The Xbox One never recovered momentum, ultimately selling only 50-58 million units compared to the PS4’s 117.2 million. That 2-to-1 sales ratio meant developers optimized games for PlayStation as the primary platform, creating a quality gap where Xbox versions often performed worse. Exclusive games that might have sold Xbox consoles either got cancelled or went multiplatform. By the end of the generation, Microsoft’s strategy had shifted from competing on hardware sales to focusing on Game Pass subscriptions and cloud gaming.
The Current Generation Gap Keeps Growing
The Xbox Series X and S launched alongside the PS5 in November 2020, giving both consoles an even starting line. Five years later, the PS5 has sold 84.2 million units while Xbox Series sits at approximately 33.4 million, a market share split of roughly 70 percent PlayStation to 30 percent Xbox. That gap of 44.8 million units is enormous and shows no signs of closing. Month after month, Sony outsells Microsoft by margins that would have been unthinkable during the Xbox 360 era.
Recent sales data from February 2025 showed PS5 selling 1,174,391 units worldwide compared to Xbox Series X and S combined at just 261,462 units. That’s a 4.5-to-1 ratio in a single month, demonstrating how thoroughly Sony dominates the current generation. The gap between PS5 and Xbox Series is actually larger than the gap between PS4 and Xbox One was at the same point in their lifecycles, suggesting Microsoft’s competitive position continues deteriorating rather than stabilizing.
Why This Matters Beyond Bragging Rights
Console install base directly impacts every aspect of the gaming ecosystem. Third-party developers optimize for the larger platform first, meaning PS5 often gets the definitive version of multiplatform games. Exclusive deals go to the console with more players because that’s where the revenue potential exists. Publishers prioritize PlayStation for marketing partnerships and early access. Microsoft has essentially admitted this reality by bringing formerly exclusive Xbox games like Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, and Indiana Jones to PlayStation, acknowledging they need Sony’s audience to make their investments profitable.
The sales disparity also explains Microsoft’s strategic pivot toward Game Pass and cloud gaming rather than competing on hardware. When you’re selling less than half your competitor’s units, trying to win the traditional console war becomes futile. Microsoft’s rumored plans to release an expensive gaming PC-like device in 2027 instead of a traditional next-gen Xbox suggests they’re effectively conceding the console market to Sony while repositioning Xbox as a platform and service rather than specific hardware.
Where PS5 Ranks All-Time
Outselling every Xbox ever made is impressive, but where does that leave the PS5 in the all-time rankings? Currently at 84.2 million units, the PS5 sits as the ninth best-selling console in history. It has already surpassed the Game Boy Advance at 81.51 million and now exceeds the Xbox 360. Next targets on the list are the PlayStation 3 at 87.4 million units, which seems likely to fall within the next few quarters, and the Wii at 101.63 million.
The top of the list remains dominated by Nintendo and Sony’s previous successes. The PlayStation 2 leads at 160 million units, followed by the Nintendo DS at 154.02 million and the Nintendo Switch at 154.01 million in what is essentially a statistical tie. The Game Boy sold 118.69 million, and the PlayStation 4 reached 117.2 million lifetime. Sony expects the PS5 to hit 90 million units by March 2026, which would place it firmly in eighth place all-time with realistic shots at cracking the top five if the console truly is only at its midpoint as Sony claims.
The Games That Made the Difference
Hardware sales don’t happen in a vacuum. The PS5’s success is built on a foundation of exclusive games that Xbox simply couldn’t match. Ghost of Yotei sold 3.3 million copies within its first month in October 2025, becoming a major hit like its predecessor Ghost of Tsushima. Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Returnal, Demon’s Souls remake, and others provided reasons to own a PS5 that Xbox equivalents couldn’t counter.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s first-party output has been inconsistent despite acquiring massive studios like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Starfield and Redfall both underperformed critically. Halo Infinite struggled with content updates. Forza Motorsport received mixed reception. Many of Microsoft’s biggest acquisitions like Call of Duty remain multiplatform because the revenue loss from making them exclusive would be catastrophic. Xbox’s strategy of bringing games to Game Pass day one is consumer-friendly but hasn’t translated into hardware sales competitive with PlayStation’s traditional model.
What This Means for the Future
Microsoft has already signaled they’re not trying to win the console war anymore. Phil Spencer publicly stated Xbox doesn’t need to outsell PlayStation to be successful, focusing instead on metrics like Game Pass subscribers and total player engagement across all platforms including PC and cloud. The company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $69 billion was about content for Game Pass and mobile gaming through King, not about selling more Xboxes.
Rumors about the next Xbox suggest Microsoft might release a premium gaming PC hybrid in 2027 rather than a traditional console competing directly with PS6. This would represent a fundamental shift in strategy, acknowledging that competing with Sony on their terms is unwinnable. Instead, Microsoft would position Xbox as the gaming option for people who want PC flexibility with console convenience, essentially carving out a different market segment rather than fighting over the same territory.
The Console War Is Over
The harsh reality is that the console war, at least in its traditional form, effectively ended years ago. The PS5 outselling every Xbox ever made in just five years is simply the latest data point confirming what has been obvious since the Xbox One generation. Sony won. They have the larger install base, the better exclusive games, the stronger third-party relationships, and the cultural momentum that makes PlayStation the default choice for most console gamers.
Microsoft remains a major force in gaming through Game Pass, PC gaming via Steam and Microsoft Store, cloud gaming with Xbox Cloud Gaming, and now Activision Blizzard content. But as a hardware manufacturer competing for living room console dominance, they’ve been thoroughly beaten. The 84.2 million to 33.4 million gap between PS5 and Xbox Series X|S tells that story more clearly than any press release or executive statement ever could. PlayStation is the console gaming market leader, and nothing suggests that will change anytime soon.
FAQs
How many PlayStation 5 consoles have been sold?
As of September 30, 2025, the PlayStation 5 has sold 84.2 million units worldwide in exactly five years since its November 12, 2020 launch. Sony sold 3.9 million units during Q2 2025 alone and expects to reach 90 million lifetime sales by March 2026.
How many Xbox consoles have been sold total?
The Xbox 360 sold approximately 84 million units lifetime, the original Xbox sold about 24 million, the Xbox One is estimated at 50-58 million, and the current Xbox Series X and S generation has sold approximately 33.4 million units as of mid-2025. No single Xbox generation has exceeded the PS5’s current total.
When did the PS5 surpass Xbox 360 sales?
The PS5 officially surpassed the Xbox 360’s approximately 84 million lifetime sales during Q2 2025, with Sony announcing the 84.2 million milestone on November 10, 2025, just two days before the console’s fifth anniversary on November 12.
Why did Microsoft stop reporting Xbox sales numbers?
Microsoft stopped reporting console sales in 2014 during the Xbox One generation, when the PS4 was consistently outselling their console by significant margins month after month. The company shifted focus to highlighting Game Pass subscriptions, player engagement, and game sales instead of hardware units.
What is the best-selling Xbox console?
The Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s best-selling console ever with approximately 84 million units sold across its lifespan from 2005 to 2016. This represents Microsoft’s high-water mark for hardware sales, which subsequent Xbox generations have failed to match.
How many Xbox Series X and S have been sold?
The Xbox Series X and S generation has sold approximately 33.4 million units as of mid-2025, roughly five years after launch. This creates a 44.8 million unit gap with the PS5’s 84.2 million sales, representing approximately 70 percent PlayStation to 30 percent Xbox market share.
Where does PS5 rank among best-selling consoles ever?
With 84.2 million units sold, the PS5 is currently the ninth best-selling console of all time, having surpassed the Game Boy Advance and Xbox 360. It’s closing in on the PlayStation 3 at 87.4 million and has realistic potential to crack the top five if Sony’s claims about being mid-lifecycle prove accurate.
Is Microsoft still making Xbox consoles?
Yes, Microsoft continues selling Xbox Series X and S consoles. However, rumors suggest the next-generation Xbox in 2027 might be a premium gaming PC hybrid rather than a traditional console competing directly with the PS6, representing a strategic shift away from conventional console wars.
Conclusion
The PlayStation 5 outselling every Xbox console ever made in just five years represents the culmination of trends that have been building since the Xbox One’s disastrous 2013 launch. Sony’s 84.2 million units sold not only surpass the Xbox 360’s approximately 84 million lifetime total but do so while the current Xbox Series X and S generation languishes at 33.4 million units, creating a 44.8 million gap that grows larger every quarter. The significance extends beyond simple bragging rights to fundamental market dynamics that affect game development, third-party partnerships, exclusive deals, and the entire ecosystem surrounding console gaming. Microsoft’s decision to stop reporting hardware sales in 2014 looks increasingly like acknowledgment that they couldn’t compete on Sony’s terms, forcing a strategic pivot toward Game Pass subscriptions, cloud gaming, and platform-agnostic services rather than winning the living room hardware war. The PS5 now ranks as the ninth best-selling console of all time with realistic potential to climb higher as Sony claims the generation is only at its midpoint, while Xbox’s best showing remains the 360 era that ended nearly a decade ago. The console war, at least in its traditional form where two companies compete for hardware dominance with exclusive games as ammunition, is effectively over. Sony won decisively, and Microsoft has moved on to different battlegrounds where pure console sales numbers matter less than total player engagement across all platforms. The PS5 surpassing every Xbox ever made in exactly five years isn’t just a milestone. It’s confirmation of a reality that has been obvious for years but is now impossible to deny even with Microsoft’s refusal to report official numbers. PlayStation is console gaming, and Xbox is something else entirely, searching for relevance in a market where they can no longer compete on Sony’s terms.