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PS5 Still Outselling PS4 in USA Despite Much Higher Price and Fewer Exclusives
In its 71st month on sale in the United States, the PS5 has sold slightly more units than the PS4 had at the same point, despite a higher price and fewer console exclusives. The comparison suggests demand for Sony’s current console has remained resilient through the generation, even after early supply problems.
Circana data puts PS5 lifetime sales 1% ahead of PS4’s at month 71 and 30% ahead of PS3’s. Sales from January to September 2026 were 3% behind the equivalent period for PS4 in 2019; the article also cites current US prices of $650 for the base PS5 and $900 for the PS5 Pro, compared with $200 for the PS4 at a similar stage. It expects GTA 6, due next month, to lift console sales, though the article’s figures give different 2026 comparisons depending on the period used.
In short
- PS5 US sales are 1% ahead of PS4 at the same point.
- 2026 sales so far trail PS4’s comparable period by 3%.
- GTA 6 could boost console sales next month.
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The case for
The PS5’s slight lead over the PS4 at the same point suggests that buyers still see enough value in Sony’s current console, despite its higher price and a smaller slate of exclusives. Early supply shortages may also have deferred purchases, while the prospect of major releases such as GTA 6 could sustain demand.
The case against
The comparison is less persuasive as evidence of resilient demand when PS5 sales from January to September 2026 were already below the equivalent PS4 period, and the headline lead is only 1%. Much higher prices and fewer exclusives may make the PS5 a weaker proposition for some buyers; differences between the generations and the article’s varying comparison periods also limit what the figures can show.
Explained simply
Sony’s PlayStation consoles are successive generations of home video game machines: the PS4 came before the PS5, while the PS5 Pro is a higher-priced version of the current console. Circana tracks US sales of games and gaming hardware, allowing analysts to compare how quickly each generation has sold.
Console sales can be influenced by price, availability and the games people can play on each machine. Big releases can also prompt people to buy a console, so sales figures help show how demand changes over time.
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