The PlayStation 5 has broken another in a conga line of sales record, reportedly becoming the fastest-selling video game console per units sold and dollars spent in US history. The latest Sony previously was crowned the fastest seller in terms of total dollar sales, and the current-gen console has now solidly secured its place in history in that regard.
The PlayStation 5 has been extremely popular since its launch last year alongside the Xbox Series X/S, and Sony is continuing to improve the console through system updates. The PS5's first big system update arrived on April 14, and it contained a host of changes and improvements to the user experience. The console's Game Base menu was improved to allow easier switching between parties, and there are now more options for the automatically-recorded Trophy videos which capture the moment a players earns one. One particularly noteworthy addition in the update is the ability for players to store games on an external hard drive, allowing PS5 games to be moved off of the console for storage and then moved back for fast reinstallation and play.
NPD Group's Mat Piscatella has revealed new market research that reveals the PlayStation 5 is now the fastest-selling console in U.S. history "in both unit and dollar sales." In only five months on the market, the PS5 has claimed that record handily, but it's worth noting that the Nintendo Switch did beat the PS5 for most sales in the month of March, having plenty of stock and a low price point. This record-breaking achievement illustrates the popularity of the PS5, which continues to overshadow the Xbox Series X/S in total sales.
The launch of the PlayStation 5 was already record-breaking, with the console selling more units in its first month than any other prior Sony console did in the same launch period. Within its first four weeks on the market, 3.4 million PS5 units were sold, leading to low supply and high demand for months afterwards. (Greedy scalpers and a lack of policies to stop them did not and continues to not help the ongoing stock issue.) Earlier in April, it was also reported that the PS5 has already surpassed the total lifetime sales of the PlayStation Vita, Wii U and Sega Dreamcast in the United Kingdom.
The PlayStation 5's popularity is undeniable, and records like "fastest-selling console in US history" do a lot to drive that fact home. Based on the lastest market reports - despite the sustained low supply of the console - PS5 sales show no signs of slowing. As Sony continues to release system updates, new services, and fresh console-exclusive games, it's not hard to imagine the PS5 breaking more records down the line.
Source: Mat Piscatella