The PS5 has been on the market for 71 months. Compared at the same point in each console's lifecycle, its cumulative sales in the US are still about 1% higher than the PS4 and 30% higher than the PS3; however, looking solely at 2026, PS5 sales are 3% lower than the corresponding PS4 figures.
Data provided by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella indicates that the PS5 currently holds a slight lead over the PS4 from the same period in this generation. However, cumulative performance differs from single-year trends in 2026, and the two should be understood separately.
This comparison also takes into account the different circumstances surrounding each generation. The PS5 faced severe supply issues at launch due to the pandemic, and its current hardware prices are significantly higher than those of the PS4 at a similar stage in its lifecycle. The listed base PS5 price is $650, while the PS5 Pro is priced at $900.
In comparison, the PS4 launched a $200 bundle around the same time, which included The Last of Us Remastered, God of War, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Even adjusted for inflation, that bundle's equivalent price would likely not exceed $270 today.
The smaller number of PS5 exclusive titles is also cited as part of the context. It is important to note that these conclusions apply only to the US market and identical lifecycle stages, and cannot be used to judge the global cumulative sales relationship between the PS5 and PS4.