PS5 vs PS4 Sales Comparison in the US - December 2025 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 01 February 2026 / 9,361 Views
The VGChartz sales comparison series of articles are updated monthly and each one focuses on a different sales comparison using our estimated video game hardware figures. The charts include comparisons between the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, as well as with older platforms. There are articles based on our worldwide estimates, as well as the US, Europe, and Japan.
This monthly series compares the aligned US sales of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
The PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020, while the PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do lineup.
PS5 Vs. PS4 US:
Gap change in latest month: 78,623 - PS4
Gap change over last 12 months: 1,131,034 - PS4
Total Lead: 393,662 - PS5
PlayStation 5 Total Sales: 28,660,160
PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 28,266,498
December 2025 is the 62nd month the PlayStation 5 has been available for. In the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the PlayStation 4 when compared to the aligned launch of the PlayStation 5 by 0.08 million units.
In the last 12 months, the PS4 has outsold the PS5 by 1.13 million units. The PS5 is currently ahead of the PS4 by 0.39 million units.
The PS5 has sold 28.66 million units in 62 months, while the PS4 sold 28.27 million units. Month 62 for the PS5 is December 2025 and for the PS4 is December 2018.
The PS4 crossed 30 million in month 71, 32 million in month 74, and 34 million in month 86. The PS4 sold 34.93 million units lifetime in the US. The PS5 is 6.27 million units behind lifetime PS4 sales in the US.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
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Although the gap has been shrinking for a while now, I'm still impressed that PS5 has managed to stay ahead so long.
It was because the PS5 for the first 2-3 years was supply constrained and couldn't really be found. Hence why it fell behind in Year 2 when the PS4 was really building steam in 2015 (The PS4's Year 2). Then in 2023, the dam burst open and the PS5 was selling at rapid rates in the US as that was the demand of the prior two years finally being met in addition to the current/growing natural demand. That helped it grow a decent lead up until recently where the lead is now shrinking and starting to go back to PS4 for a variety of reasons.
- The PS5 is reaching or has reached saturation in the US.
- The price hike that has the system at $500/550/750 now whereas the PS4 at this point in its life was going for $300/400.
- The notable drop in exclusives released compared to the PS4 + the fact that the exclusives the PS5 does have end up going to PC later on, which diminishes the PS5's value/appeal each time they do it.
With those factors in play, it's a 50/50 chance on whether or not PS5 ends up beating the PS4's lifetime sales in the US.
I don't think PS5 has reached saturation (except for maybe in Japan) but I agree with your other points.
PS5 lead is almost gone. Releasing two big exclusives per year, is staring to hit the console.
Huh… I’m surprised that PS5 is lagging behind. I guess PS4 had really strong legs? Because PS5 has been holding up quite well as far as I’m aware. (Though maybe that’s Europe distorting my vision.)
The difference in sales can be explained by the fact that the PS5 is much more expensive than the PS4 at the same stage, whereas the latter had already seen a price drop, unlike the PS5 whose price has even increased. Moreover, it is not the same era or situation: many things have changed between 2013 and 2020-2026. Players' consumption habits have evolved, and the PS4 did not face the inflation or global shortages that the PS5 has had to deal with. There is also a lack of major PlayStation games on the PS5, whereas the PS4 experienced the height of exclusives, carrying over hits from the PS3 like Uncharted, The Last of Us, and God of War. And there was no cross-generation between the PS3 and PS4, which encouraged players to quickly move to the PS4, unlike the PS4-PS5 transition where many PS4 games are still being released today. Despite everything, the PS5 remains a very successful product for PlayStation and will probably exceed 100 million.
