The news has been spreading around the internet in the wake of Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino's speech at the Tokyo Game Show. He confirmed that since launch the platform has generated $136B in sales so far, making it the most successful PS console after less than 5 years on the market and with more to come. 

-Quote-

"In comparison, G&NS made $107 billion from 2013-2019, aka the PS4 generation. The graph revealed that, over the past 31 years since the original PS1’s launch, each subsequent console generation has brought in more money than the last. For reference, sales during the PS3 lifecycle were $71 billion, the PS2 $44 billion, and the PS1 $24 billion."

"It should be emphasized that these revenue figures encompass sales across the entire G&NS business during the time periods in question. So, that huge $136 billion in sales during the PS5 generation will include money Sony continues to make from PS4 hardware and software."

-End Quote-

https://tech.yahoo.com/gaming/articles/sony-says-ps5-most-successful-154506580.html

What do you make of this news?

Starting with the highest starting price in PlayStation history at launch then consistently increasing prices over the course of the following 5 years including a new, even more expensive SKU in a Pro model will lead to those kinds of results.

Hardware revenue is not that significant. The growth primarily comes from software and services spending, and factors in all consoles within an era. Expensive consoles historically struggled, they didn't guarantee higher revenues and certainly not higher software or hardware sales, but gamers these days are less price sensitive and are willing to put more money into their hobby.

PS4 remaining so strong post PS5 launch contributes to this growth. So it's not exactly a PS4 vs PS5 comparison.

Good, more of a reason not to launch PS6 so fast, give PS5 more time to breath

While fair, game prices, sub prices, as well as even microtransaction prices have gone up compared to previous gens as well.

Essentially every facet of gaming has increased in price this gen whether that be hardware or software. All contributing this kind of growth.

Terrible news for consumers, but insanely good for companies. 

"The graph revealed that, over the past 31 years since the original PS1’s launch, each subsequent console generation has brought in more money than the last."

Seems pointless if not adjusted for inflation.

With ever higher digital sales that makes sense. Sony counts the total value of a game as sale, not just the commission part.

The past few years have been record breaking for PlayStation's operating profit. So while he is talking about revenue here, in terms of profit this generation has been the best for PS by far.

This is a far more meaningful statistic in my book and shows their financial success is not attributable to things like the higher cost of hardware.

The most expensive console that even raised the price several times afterwards brought in the most revenue. Shocking.

Most successful in financial terms perhaps, and even just perhaps, as we don't know the expenses of the Playstation during the same time. Because if those are high, then it could very well be that PS1,2 or 4 were more successful than 5 even in those financial terms they're bragging about to.

The PlayStation Store and PlayStation Plus has revolutionized the console business model for Sony. They'll be tripling the amount of profit made from PS4 with the PS5. Its why maintaining a platform is much more lucrative than being multiplatform. 

PlayStation made a billion in profit last quarter with no major releases. That's absurd!