PS5 vs PS4 Sales Comparison in Japan - May 2026 - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted on 24 June 2026 / 6,935 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 Japanese sales of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
The PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020 in Japan, while the PlayStation 4 launched in February 2014. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup.
PS5 Vs. PS4 Japan:
Gap change in latest month: 14,228 - PS4
Gap change over last 12 months: 602,789 - PS4
Total Lead: 904,110 - PS4
PlayStation 5 Total Sales: 7,582,576
PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 8,486,686
May 2026 is the 67th 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 14,228 units.
In the last 12 months, the PS4 has outsold the PS5 by 0.60 million units. The PS5 is currently behind the PS4 by 0.90 million units.
The 67th month for the PS5 in Japan is May 2026, while for the PS4 it is August 2019. The PS5 has sold 7.58 million units, while the PS4 sold 8.49 million units during the same timeframe.
The PS4 crossed 8.5 million in month 68, 9 million in month 72, and 9.5 million in month 84. The PS4 sold 9.68 million units lifetime. The PS5 is currently 2.10 million units behind the lifetime sales of the PS4 in Japan.
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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PlayStation Japan all time, i do not see the PS5 moving up
PS2
PS1
PS3
PS4
PS5
it's all about the price
ps2<ps3<ps4<ps5 in price, so they sold more
maybe they need to rethink the ps7 already, make it cheaper than the ps6, the ps6 already looks like it will be too expensive to succeed in japan next gen
Nintendo has no powerful yet inexpensive system, no home console, that is the niche Sony needs to move back in to, not release $900 USD systems
With the exception that the PS3 was more expensive than the PS4, at least at launch and first couple of years.
It is not just about the price. The Switch 2 is outselling the Switch at the moment and it is quite more expensive.
the PS3 had already hit $399 one year after launch that Christmas (and it included the the blu ray drive unlike the Xbox, also HDMI, also a hard drive, all included)
it had already hit $299 which was a crazy deal for a system with a HDD and bluray drive by the 3rd Christmas
the PS3 is incorrectly remembered as too expensive, that was only the first 12 months, Sony responded with the Slim redesign, massive node shrinks, and price drops
Sony famously said they lost a lot of money selling the PS3, but made money selling the PS4, they went HARD to recover from the initial disaster and strength of the Xbox 360, which of course turned out to be the right decision in the end, to fight hard against Microsoft with the PS3
PS3 launch price was $499, PS4 launch price was $399
1 year later: both $399
3 years later: both hit $299
4 years and more, PS3 kept dropping all the way to $199, the PS4 actually stopped at $299 and didn't drop further for 99 percent of buyers (and I even remember seeing the PS3 for $150 near the end of the generation)
i don't think the switch 2 is outselling the Switch 1, it is tied in the US
outselling in Japan, where it is crazy cheap compared to other countries, so maybe not the best example you could have given ;)
