The PS5 Has Officially Beaten the PS3

Console gaming continues to boast new achievements, with the latest data analysis showing the PlayStation 5 finally eclipsing the PlayStation 3 in total lifetime sales. The PlayStation 5 made its debut in November 2020, and despite early struggles with limited production and global economic impacts, the modern headliner in Sony's console lineup has officially surpassed another of its predecessors.

Representing the ninth generation of video game consoles, the PS5, which offers both a disc-drive version and a digital-only edition, has been praised for its high graphical performance, though some have lamented a lack of high-profile first-party PlayStation 5 games. Despite its debated shortcomings, the popularity of the PS5 remains undeniable, particularly as it has passed yet another major milestone.

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PlayStation 5 Sales Compared to PlayStation 3

According to data from Circana analyzed by Mat Piscatella, as of September 2025, the PlayStation 5 has officially sold more consoles than the PlayStation 3. The PS3 itself faced a number of struggles, mainly in trying to keep up with the powerhouse success of the Xbox 360. However, the PS3 did go on to outperform the competition in total sales, and now one of its biggest successor consoles, the PS5, has achieved even higher sales counts. While an exact number of lifetime PS5 sales was not shared by Piscatella, he did share that the PS5 has also outsold the PlayStation 4 in the United States, though it remains behind in total global sales. The PS4 remains above the PS3 in total lifetime sales globally, so it may only be a matter of time before the PS5 surpasses another of its predecessors.

September 2025 US video game data fun fact - The PlayStation 5 has now surpassed the PlayStation 3 in lifetime installed base. So that's cool. Source: Circana Retail Tracking Service. Shout out to Maki on the InstallBase forum for reminding me about this one. — Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2025-10-22T13:46:18.863Z

As many gaming fans may know, the PlayStation 2, often considered one of the best video game consoles of all time, remains the best-selling PlayStation system in total lifetime sales. Whether the PS5 will ever catch up to, let alone pass, the PS2 remains to be seen, but the upcoming launch of highly-anticipated games like Marvel's Wolverine could help to push PlayStation 5 sales even further.

Wolverine fighting a cyborg enemy - Marvel's Wolverine

Even decades after the debut of the original PlayStation, console gaming continues to be incredibly popular. Systems like the PS5, Xbox Series X, and even the Nintendo Switch 2 have boasted impressive sales numbers, often surpassing previous generations that had their own distinct successes. Whether the PlayStation 5 will manage to climb further up the console sales rankings remains to be seen, with many curious if the eventual launch of the PlayStation 6 will limit the PS5's ambitions.

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