Once PlayStation 4’s sales momentum got rolling this generation, it became nearly impossible to stop, but I am not sure even Sony foresaw how high the console’s install base would rise six years ago when they launched the PS4. Now, as it nears the 100 million mark, the fourth PlayStation is entering a category that few other consoles manage to hit.
The information comes from Sony’s consolidated financial year results, reported this week, which peg the PlayStation 4 at 96.8 million consoles sold by Sony. That puts it right against the edge of the 100 million league, which is currently occupied by the PlayStation 2 (155 million), the Nintendo DS (152 million), the Gameboy/Color/Pocket (118 million), the PlayStation 1 (102 million), and the Wii (101 million). Assuming the PlayStation 4 keeps selling at an even declining pace, it should hit the Wii number fairly soon.
Moreover, assuming the PlayStation 4 keeps selling past the release of the PlayStation 5, which is not going to hit any time in the next year, then it might even exceed the original PlayStation. This would make it Sony’s second most successful console of all time and put them in a great position to make install base arguments to publishers with their new system, which they probably already can.
Also, assuming the Switch keeps selling at its current pace, this could theoretically be the first generation with two 100 million selling consoles, which is a ridiculous level of growth for the gaming industry. The only similar time was when the PlayStation 2 and the DS both existed, though both hit those numbers fairly far apart.
