5 years in the past, in November 2020, PlayStation 5 marked a brand new period of velocity, immersion, and creativity. As we rejoice its fifth anniversary, we’re trying again at how PS5 has developed – 12 months by 12 months – via system software program updates, new equipment, and group milestones that proceed to redefine play.
2020: The start of a brand new era
The PS5’s launch in November 2020 redefined what a console might do. Powered by an ultra-high-speed SSD, immersive 3D Audio, and the revolutionary DualSense wi-fi controller, PS5 launched a brand new era of immersion by no means felt earlier than in gaming.
- Share Display debuted, permitting gamers to observe mates’ gameplay in actual time by way of PS5 and afterward the PS App. Since launch, Share Display has been used greater than 1.6 billion instances, totaling over 900 million hours. High shared titles embrace Fortnite, Roblox, Name of Responsibility: Trendy Warfare II, and Grand Theft Auto V.
- Accessibility has been on the coronary heart of PS5 since day one. The console launched with 11 accessibility options, which has grown to twenty by 2025 – together with new additions akin to Accessibility Tags and Second Controller for Help. One out of each 4 PS5 customers have enabled not less than one among these accessibility options.
- Each PS5 console and accent options microtextured PlayStation shapes – on DualSense alone, there are 45,674 tiny triangles, circles, crosses, and squares.
2021: Increasing the expertise
Because the PS5 participant base grew, so did the platform’s capabilities. 2021 targeted on updates that expanded social connectivity and storage choices:
- The primary main PS5 system replace added Cross-generation Share Play, enabling PS5 gamers with PlayStation Plus membership to just about ‘cross the controller’ to mates utilizing PS4. Since launch, Share Play has been used over 700 million instances on PS5.
- M.2 SSD storage enlargement gave gamers freedom to develop their libraries. The usage of an industry-standard M.2 format supplied a versatile and cost-efficient strategy to broaden PS5 storage, and the characteristic has since been adopted by hundreds of thousands of gamers.
- We additionally added the flexibility to share PS5 recreation captures via the PlayStation App, leading to 5.6 billion captures uploaded. Right this moment, practically half of PlayStation messages are despatched from the PS App, with greater than 1 billion voice chat classes going down via the app.
- 2021 additionally launched PS5’s first shade variations – Midnight Black and Cosmic Crimson, giving gamers extra methods to customise their console and equipment of their favourite shade.
2022: Extra Choices, Extra Methods to Play
In 2022, PS5 developed additional to ship a richer and extra personalised play expertise.
- VRR (Variable Refresh Charge) enhanced visible efficiency by minimizing visible artifacts for smoother, crisper gameplay. Hundreds of thousands of gamers have enabled the characteristic, with 96% of these with VRR-compatible displays utilizing it frequently.
- This was additionally the 12 months PlayStation Plus launched a brand new three-tier service, providing lots of of video games within the Sport Catalog for Additional members and Deluxe/Premium members, in addition to entry to a Basic Sport catalog for Premium members. Since launch, the variety of distinctive catalog gamers has doubled, and the full gameplay hours for Sport Catalog and Basic Catalog has additionally elevated – cumulatively hitting 14 billion hours.
- PS5 personalization expanded additional with new galaxy-inspired shade variations: Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple.
2023: Pushing the boundaries of play with new equipment
2023 was a 12 months of extra breakthrough {hardware} and innovation.
- PlayStation VR2 launched, introducing next-generation immersion with eye monitoring, headset suggestions and deep immersion with haptic suggestions and adaptive triggers via PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller.
- Discord voice chat arrived on PS5, connecting gamers throughout platforms. Since launch, greater than 1 billion Discord voice chat classes have taken place on PS5, averaging 105 minutes per session.
- PlayStation Portal distant participant redefined distant play, now accounting for over 50% of all PS5 Distant Play classes – surpassing streams via cell, PC, PS4 and PS5 consoles mixed.
- We additionally launched DualSense Edge wi-fi controller – our first high-performance, ultra-customizable controller – and the Entry Controller, a controller equipment designed to make gaming extra accessible for all.
- Cloud Streaming entry for PS5 video games introduced new choices for PlayStation Plus Premium members to stream supported PS5 digital video games from Sport Catalog, Sport Trials and purchases from PS Retailer on their PS5 console.
- Moreover, we launched a brand new line of audio merchandise that includes planar magnetic drivers and our revolutionary PlayStation Hyperlink expertise that gives lightning-fast, lossless audio reference to Pulse Discover wi-fi ear buds, adopted by Pulse Elite wi-fi headset in early 2024.
2024: Empowering gamers and communities
In 2024, PS5 deepened group connection and personalization.
- Neighborhood Sport Assist debuted, enabling gamers to share gameplay trace movies generated from opt-in contributors. The characteristic is now accessible throughout lots of of PS5 titles, with 1000’s of useful group hints contributed by gamers world wide.
- The brand new Welcome Hub launched a personalised PS5 dwelling display house with customizable widgets and backgrounds. Customization has been rising since launch, with the battery widget rising as the most well-liked, and private gameplay screenshots turning into the highest background alternative amongst gamers.
- This was additionally the 12 months we launched the PS5 Professional – our most visually spectacular and revolutionary console to this point, together with the PlayStation thirtieth Anniversary Assortment, celebrating 30 unimaginable years of play and creativity.
2025: 5 years of play
Glad fifth Anniversary, PS5! As we rejoice 5 years of the wonderful journey, the numbers inform the story:
- PS5 has cumulatively bought over 84 million models globally. Should you lined up each PS5 ever bought, collectively they’d stretch over 28,600 kilometers – lengthy sufficient to go from Tokyo to San Francisco to London, after which all the way in which again dwelling once more.
- Greater than 7,500 PS5 video games have been printed by over 4,000 creators world wide. By complete playtime, the highest three most-played PS5 multiplayer video games had been Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, and Name of Responsibility Trendy Warfare II and the highest three PS5 most-played single-player video games had been Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, God of Warfare Ragnarök and Hogwarts Legacy.
- Gamers have earned a mixed 40 billion Trophies on PS5, together with 110 million Platinum Trophies.
- Throughout 5 years, PS5 gamers have logged a complete of 100 billion hours of gameplay.
5 years on, the PS5 platform continues to evolve and join extra gamers than ever. From the day it launched to immediately, PS5 has redefined what play can imply for creators and the group alike.
Right here’s to 5 unimaginable years of play – and to the hundreds of thousands of gamers who made them unforgettable!
*All figures are primarily based on inner information collected as of September 2025.
