Despite ongoing supply constraints, a total of 7.8 million PS5s have shipped since launch

If you’re someone who’s been struggling to purchase a PlayStation 5 console, it may surprise you to learn that Sony’s next-gen console is still tracking ahead of PS4 during the same initial sales window. This fact comes by way of the latest financial results published by Sony’s Games and Network Services division on Wednesday, which after doing the math, reveals that a whopping 7.8 million PlayStation 5 consoles have shipped since its November launch last year.

These results were full of interesting factoids and titbits, such as how every PlayStation 5 is sold at a loss in the expectation that Sony will make its money back through software sales. Sony also stated that it intends to exceed the PlayStation 4’s second year console sales with PS5, despite the latter still being throttle by an ongoing shortage of important components.

Those wondering for a full breakdown of how well Sony’s Games and Network Services division fared for its first fiscal year (ending March 31, 2021) can look at this graph provided by Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad:

He specifically cites the PS5’s launch, coupled with strong software and services sales, for the division’s exceptional performance. And now with total PS5 shipments reaching a staggering 7.8 million in its first two quarters on the market, Sony is in for a record year. For reference, the PS4 sold roughly 7.6 million in that same period almost a decade ago. It’s worth bearing in mind that the PS4 didn’t launch in Japan initially whereas the PS5 did this time around.

In the meantime, current rumours tend to suggest that PlayStation 5 stock won’t return to UK shores until mid-May at the earliest, a time in which all available units are sure to sell out fast. We at Console Deals will keep you update on the PS5 stock situation as we hear more, but you can also always look at our dedicated PS5 tracker page regularly to stay vigilant. It’s updated daily.