Key Takeaways
1. PS5 sales increased by 10% in September despite price hikes in August.
2. Sony raised the prices of PS5 models, with the Digital Edition now at $499.99 and the disc version at $549.99.
3. The gaming market grew overall, with consumers spending 10% more on hardware and games in September compared to 2024.
4. Popular new PS5 releases, like NBA 2K26, boosted console sales.
5. The number of active PS5 users has surpassed that of the PS3, with over 80 million PS5 units sold since 2020.
Many gamers were curious about how the PS5 price hikes in August would impact console sales. Early indicators suggest that Sony’s gaming consoles have not been adversely affected by the increased prices. New data from Circana for U.S. retail in September reveals that PS5 sales actually increased by 10% compared to the month before. In another achievement for PlayStation, the number of PS5 units in use has now surpassed that of the PS3.
Sales Insights from Matt Piscatella
Matt Piscatella shared updates through several posts on Bluesky. He pointed out that in comparison to August, the “average selling price for PS5 saw a rise in the high single-digit percentage.” Even with the increased MSRPs, unit sales surged by more than 10% in September.
Price Adjustments Amid Economic Challenges
Due to tough economic conditions, Sony raised PS5 prices, changing the Digital Edition from $449.99 to $499.99 in August. The disc drive version and the PS5 Pro also experienced $50 price hikes, bringing their prices to $549.99 and $749.99, respectively. Nevertheless, there’s no sign that consumers have reconsidered buying PlayStation consoles.
Gaming Industry Growth
One reason could be that the gaming market as a whole flourished in September. Even with inflation putting pressure on budgets, consumers spent 10% more on hardware, accessories, and games compared to the same time in 2024. A number of popular new PS5 releases also motivated gamers to buy systems.
Borderlands 4 dominated both physical and digital sales across all platforms. However, NBA 2K26 took the top spot for PS5 specifically, with Gearbox’s looter shooter coming in third, behind Ghost of Yotei. The highly anticipated open-world RPG didn’t launch until October 2nd. Consistent third-party sports titles like EA Sports FC 26 and Madden NFL 26 also contributed to hardware sales.
Xbox Series Sales Surprise
Unexpectedly, the pricier Xbox Series X and S also experienced slight increases in sales during September. Still, with Microsoft’s consoles facing challenges, Sony appears more focused on surpassing its own sales records. In August, Sony reported over 80 million PS5 units sold since 2020. It is estimated that over 87 million PS3 units were sold during its entire lifecycle. Yet, in the U.S., the PS5 already has a larger number of active users.
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