PS5 vs PS2: Which is the more successful console generation?

The PS2 is not just Sony's best-selling console, it is the best-selling console, period. Sony's CEO Jim Ryan mentioned at a recent PlayStation podcast that the PS2 sales figure has reached 160 million units, a staggering number no other console has managed to achieve to date. But with the PS5 console generation in full swing, did that change? Has PS5 become a more successful console generation?

No, at least, not yet. That's because we are yet to reach PS5's mid-cycle refresh and are still months away from PS5 Pro's launch, which is why it might still happen. In this article, we will analyze both console generation's sales data to conclude which generation is more successful.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.

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PS5 vs PS2: Which is the more successful console generation?

The PlayStation 5 digital console alongside the disk model (Image via Sony)

To understand which console generation is more successful, we have to first look at its rich history, which includes the launch history, initial sales numbers, and more.

PS5 and PS2 console generation history

The PS2 and PS5 consoles launched in two completely different gaming generations. When the PS2 launched in 2020, it was the most powerful gaming console, as PC gaming hardware was still miles behind. Also, retro gaming was very much a thing back then and quite popular.

The PlayStation 2 launched high on the heels of the first PlayStation's success. It provided a whole lot more for the price it asked for. It had the most hardware inside and was also retrofitted with the original PlayStation's CPU, which made the new console backward compatible with the older titles.

This was a significant decision that Sony highly benefitted from since the original PlayStation was quite popular, and so were its games. Essentially, the PS2 allowed you to play both newer PS2 games and older retro games available on the PS1.

But the same couldn't be said for PS5. It was launched in 2020, right after the pandemic lockdown was lifted. Due to the lockdown, inflated started, and finding the new PlayStation 5 console at its launch price was difficult. Also, there was a global chip shortage, so Sony had a hard time shipping its consoles to all its customers.

On top of that, the PS5 had partial backward compatibility. It was compatible with most PS4 games but not the PS3, PS2, or PS1, at least not directly. Also, the PS5 didn't have the best hardware inside. Times have changed and PC gaming is now miles ahead, so not every gamer will buy the new PS5, and that was also a big factor in PS5's sales numbers.

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How do PS5's current sales compare to PS2's?

Sony's new Dual Sense controller (Image via Sony)

Due to the chip shortage, Sony had a hard time shipping PS5 consoles to customers, so their sales targets were not up to mark, but they recovered soon. At this point, the PS5 has aged three and a half years and managed to sell 54.17 million units. On the other hand, the PS2 managed to sell 71.3 million units four years after launch, which is significantly higher than the PS5.

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Verdict

With just 54.17 million units in sales, the PS5 console is not more successful than the PS2, which had 71.3 million units in sale at the same timeframe. However, the launch of the PS5 Pro can change things. It may just lead to enough sales to surpass PS2's sales, but it will be a difficult battle for Sony.