The game console market is alive and kicking. Sony has sold over 70 million PS4 consoles, which means that sales of the four-year old console are about to surpass lifetime sales of PS3.

Strong PlayStation 4 sales
70 million game consoles over the span of four years. Is that worth noting? Apple sells more iPhones in a single Holiday quarter. However, compared to historical sales data for game consoles, Sony’s PS4 is enjoying strong sales.

Since launch in November 2013, Sony has sold 70.6 million PS4 consoles, the company has announced. The figure includes PS4, PS4 Slim, and PS4 Pro. For comparison, the company sold a little over 80 million PS3 consoles over the span of its 10-year reign. PS2 is still the best-selling console of all time with 155 million sales in total.

- "I cannot thank our fans and partners enough. Their support, since the launch of very first PlayStation in 1994, has helped to make PlayStation one of the biggest console gaming networks in the world. We will continue to work closely with partners to maintain this momentum and remain steadfast in making PS4 the best place to play," said Andrew House, Chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Sony added that more than 617.8 million (excluding add-ons) PS4 games have been sold to date. The company has also sold 2 million PlayStation VR glasses.



PS4 will surpass PS3 sales
The last-gen PS3 and Xbox 360 were neck and neck but Xbox One has not fared as well. Microsoft is no longer announcing sales figures for Xbox One but it is estimated that the company has sold in the range of 25-35 million units. Microsoft recently added the Xbox One X to its portfolio.

Some market watchers have questioned the outlook for game consoles as more and more entertainment gets concentrated in app stores on major software platforms. However, mobile gaming appears to have simply expanded the market. The segment for dedicated game consoles is still going strong.

Holiday sales are kicking off as we speak and if Sony can maintain momentum for PS4, the console will in its fifth year surpass PS3. The next target to aim for is the original PlayStation, which hit 102 million units sold in its lifetime.