Sony’s PlayStation 4 surpasses lifetime sales of the PS3

Sony’s PlayStation 4 has hit its biggest milestone so far this year, surpassing its predecessor in terms of total lifetime sales. With 86 million units shipped as of September 2018, the console has exceeded the PlayStation 3 by approximately 3 million.

While Q1 fell just short of the 83 million mark set by the PS3, Sony’s latest financial report sees another 3.9 million PlayStation 4 units shipped throughout Q2. This means revenue has jumped 27 percent year-on-year, and the firm is able to readjust its sales forecast to a sizeable 17.5 million for the remainder of the fiscal year.

This is a major landmark just five years after Sony launched the PS4, with the original PlayStation setting the next target at 102.5 million. It is still a far cry from the PlayStation 2’s staggering 158 million units sold throughout its lifetime, still standing as the best-selling console of all time. This was made possible over a 12-year run, leaving plenty of time for the PS4 to take that title depending on how long Sony intends to breathe life into its current generation.

Major exclusives such as God of War and Insomniac’s Spider-Man are believed to be the reason for the PS4’s success throughout 2018, with The Last of Us Part II, Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima still on the horizon.

Elsewhere, Sony has reported success with its PS Plus platform, which originally faltered at the beginning of the year. The company has changed its forecast from July, predicting an 8% upward revision in sales for the subscription service.

KitGuru Says: This isn’t a surprising feat given how well the PS4 has sold against competition. It will be interesting to see whether predictions of a new console in the near future make a dent on the readjusted forecast shown in the financial report. Have you been enjoying your PS4?

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