Xbox vs PlayStation all-time sales: Who's winning & why?

When it comes to console gaming, there are three big giants: PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. But the real battle is only between the first two. PlayStation and Xbox have had it going for quite a while now, and the two were even charged up in a competition of sales.

Brad Smith, Xbox boss, has even acknowledged that Xbox is losing ground to PlayStation in the console war for supremacy. According to him, Sony’s PlayStation outsold Xbox by 69/31 globally towards the end of 2022. So things have never been looking worse for Xbox. But is it true, though?

Is it Xbox losing ground, or just catering to its audience, who maybe enjoys playing games on Xbox more than playing them on PlayStation?

Well, the sales don’t lie, and according to this Reddit thread, it seems that PlayStation is way ahead of Xbox. When it comes to sales, of course.

Xbox vs PlayStation all-time sales: let’s see the numbers

According to Wikipedia, PlayStation has sold half a billion units since its very existence. That’s a huge number to even think about. But let’s see how numbers look individually:

• 102.49 million – PlayStation 1
• 155 million – PlayStation 2
• 87.4 million – PlayStation 3
• 117.2 million – PlayStation 4
• 38.4 million – PlayStation 5
• 80–82 million – PlayStation Portable
• 10–15 million – PlayStation Vita

A total number would bring PlayStation beyond the half-billion units, with an estimated number of 506 million units.

The reason: PlayStation has a history. It was launched years before Xbox, and its legacy grew based on the cult games that were exclusive to the console. Franchises such as Resident Evil, or Naughty Dog’s games made the console a must-have.

However, PlayStation 5 sales are not looking good. With only 38.4 million units sold, one would think the console is experiencing a low point.

Now, let’s take a look at Microsoft’s Xbox:

• 24 million – Xbox
• 84 million- Xbox 360
• 51–58.5 million – Xbox One
• 21+ million – Xbox X/S

The total number brings the Xbox to an estimated number of 180 million units sold, more or less.

The reason: Xbox was only released at the turn of the new millennium, but it has built a reputation ever since. With franchises such as Halo and many more PC games that can be played on this console as well, Xbox has become a versatile console for both the casual and the hardcore gamer.

Xbox 360 was released about the same time as PlayStation 3, and the two of them sold around the same number of units.

Who’s the winner?

Who’s winning? Well, the truth is that both consoles are winning. Each release sells millions of units, and games are abundant on each of them. Only on Xbox, there are currently over 5000 new games in development, with a roadmap that looks incredibly exciting. Both consoles have a legacy and it’s hard to predict who is the actual winner. And according to a Microsoft presentation in Brazil, it seems that Xbox X/S sales are over 21+ million units.

For Microsoft, Xbox is definitely a winner, amongst other great products from them. For Sony, PlayStation is one of their main areas of entertainment. In the long run, however, both consoles will be equally adored by gamers.

For more interesting facts and the latest user and revenue-based Xbox statistics, check out this guide.

So ultimately, both consoles are winners. But if you think otherwise, be sure to let us know your opinions and thoughts in the comments section below.