History of PlayStation 5 in Timeline
The PlayStation 5 (PS5), developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, is a ninth-generation home video game console and the successor to the PlayStation 4. It was released in November 2020, globally following an initial launch in select countries. The PS5 competes with Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles, also released in the same month, marking a new era in console gaming technology and performance.
2013: PlayStation 4's First Two Weeks Sales Numbers
In comparison to PlayStation 5 sales, the PlayStation 4 sold 2.1 million units in its first two weeks of launch back in 2013.
March 31, 2019: Sony Affirms Next-Gen Hardware Development
In early 2019, Sony's financial report for the quarter ending March 31, 2019, confirmed that new next-generation hardware was in development but would not ship before April 2020.
April 2019: Cerny Discusses New Console with Wired
In April 2019, Mark Cerny first publicly described the new PlayStation console in an interview with Wired magazine.
April 2019: PlayStation 5 Announcement
In April 2019, the PlayStation 5 (PS5) was announced by Sony Interactive Entertainment as the successor to the PlayStation 4.
October 2019: Sony Announces Intention to Ship Next-Gen Console by End of 2020
In October 2019, Sony announced their intention to ship its next-generation console worldwide by the end of 2020 and the current hardware specifications were revealed.
March 2020: PS5 Backward Compatibility Details Revealed
In March 2020, Hideaki Nishino stated that the PlayStation 5 was designed to be backward compatible with over 99% of the PlayStation 4's game library. The console is compatible with PlayStation VR. Many PlayStation 4 games benefit from improved loading times and gameplay speeds on PlayStation 5. Players can synchronize saved game files through cloud storage or USB. Mark Cerny explained that CPU clock timing required particular attention.
March 18, 2020: Full Specifications Revealed
On March 18, 2020, Sony and Digital Foundry published the full specifications of the console in an online presentation by Cerny.
April 7, 2020: DualSense Wireless Controller Revealed
On April 7, 2020, Sony revealed the DualSense wireless controller for the PlayStation 5, featuring adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone array, improved controller speaker, USB-C connectivity, and a two-tone color scheme.
April 2020: Delay in Hardware Shipping Confirmed
Sony's financial report confirmed in early 2019, that new next-generation hardware would not ship earlier than April 2020.
May 2020: PlayStation 5 Certification Program Requirement
In May 2020, Eurogamer reported that Sony's certification program required PS4 games, submitted for certification after July 13, 2020, to be natively compatible with the PlayStation 5.
June 4, 2020: Game Library Showcase Postponed
A major game library showcase was planned for June 4, 2020, but was postponed until June 11 due to the George Floyd protests.
June 11, 2020: Console Form Factor Revealed
The console's form factor was revealed during the June 11, 2020 presentation. It features a two-tone design with a black internal block flanked by white wings lit by blue LEDs. The unit can operate vertically or horizontally and includes air intake and exhaust vents.
July 13, 2020: PS4 Games Required to be Natively Compatible with PS5
Eurogamer reported that as of July 13, 2020, Sony's certification program required PS4 games submitted for certification after this date to be natively compatible with the PlayStation 5.
September 16, 2020: Release Date and Pricing Confirmed
On September 16, 2020, the release date and pricing for the PlayStation 5 were confirmed during a game showcase presentation. The release date for Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea was set for November 12, 2020, and for most of the rest of the world on November 19, 2020.
September 19, 2020: Sony Apologizes for Pre-Order Issues
On September 19, 2020, Sony apologized for the chaotic pre-order launch of the PlayStation 5, which saw retailers launching pre-orders early and leading to rapid sell-outs and scalping. Sony promised to increase pre-order deliveries and stock through the end of the year.
October 9, 2020: List of Incompatible PS4 Games Identified
On October 9, 2020, Sony released a list of ten PlayStation 4 games identified as being incompatible with the PlayStation 5; the list has shortened since as some developers released compatibility updates for previously incompatible games.
November 12, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch in Select Regions
On November 12, 2020, the PlayStation 5 (PS5) was launched in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea, marking the beginning of the ninth generation of video game consoles alongside Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S.
November 19, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launched Worldwide
The PlayStation 5 was launched in most of the world on November 19, 2020.
December 11, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launched in the Philippines
On December 11, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in the Philippines.
2020: Planned Launch by End-of-Year Holiday Period
Sony planned to launch the PlayStation 5 by the end-of-year holiday period in 2020.
2020: Global Chip Shortage Impacts Supply
The worldwide supply of the PlayStation 5 remained low due to a global chip shortage starting in 2020 and lasting until 2023.
December 31, 2020: PS5 Shipments Reach 4.5 Million Units
Sony reported total shipments of the PlayStation 5 through its fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2020, of 4.5 million units, similar to the PlayStation 4's launch shipments.
January 22, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launched in Indonesia
The PlayStation 5 was launched in Indonesia on January 22, 2021.
February 2, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launched in India
After a delay due to a trademark dispute, the PlayStation 5 was released in India on February 2, 2021.
March 31, 2021: PS5 Shipments Surpass PS4's Initial Pace
By March 31, 2021, total shipments of PlayStation 5 reached 7.8 million units, surpassing the 7.6 million units that the PlayStation 4 had shipped in its first two quarters of release.
April 2021: System Patch Enables External Storage for PS5 Games
An April 2021 system patch enabled users to move PlayStation 5 games to and from an external USB storage device, though the games must still reside on the internal SSD to be played.
April 2021: PS5 Game Transfer to External USB Hard Drive Enabled
In April 2021, Sony released a software update allowing PlayStation 5 users to transfer downloaded games to an external USB hard drive.
May 15, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launched in China
The PlayStation 5 system launched in China on May 15, 2021.
May 2021: Sony Announces Major Shift in Exclusivity Approach
In May 2021, Sony announced a shift in their approach to PlayStation 5 exclusives, with previously PS5-exclusive games like Gran Turismo 7 and God of War Ragnarök now planned for both PS5 and PS4. This was influenced by the global semiconductor shortage. Initially planning to charge for PS4 to PS5 upgrades of Horizon Forbidden West, Sony reversed course after consumer feedback and made the upgrade free, but announced that future first-party game upgrades would be at cost.
June 2021: PlayStation 5 System Software Beta Program Announced
In June 2021, Sony announced the PlayStation 5 system software beta program, similar to the Xbox Insider program, to allow users to test early releases of planned console software updates.
June 30, 2021: PS5 Shipments Reach 10.1 Million Units
By June 30, 2021, Sony confirmed they had shipped 10.1 million PlayStation 5 consoles, indicating that nearly every shipped console had been sold as soon as it reached the market.
July 2021: Beta System Software Support for M.2 Port Released
Beta system software support for the M.2 port was released in July 2021, though NVMe drives were initially not supported at launch.
July 2021: Internal Storage Expansion via M.2 Port Supported
In July 2021, Sony's beta software program introduced support for expanding the PlayStation 5's internal storage via the M.2 port.
July 18, 2021: PS5 Becomes Fastest-Selling PlayStation Console
As of July 18, 2021, Sony reported that 10 million PlayStation 5 units had been sold through, making it their fastest-selling console to date.
August 2021: Minor Hardware Revision Shipped
In August 2021, Sony began shipping a minor hardware revision of the PlayStation 5, reducing the size and weight of the heat sink and the net system weight by 300 grams.
September 2021: PS5 Sales Reach Over a Million in Japan
By September 2021, Sony reported over a million PlayStation 5 sales in Japan, surpassing its predecessor's sales rate.
September 2021: Full Support for M.2 Port Added
Full support for the M.2 port was added in a September 2021 system update.
September 2021: New Software Update Released with Trophy Tracker and 3D Audio Support
In September 2021, Sony released a software update for the PlayStation 5, offering support for a new trophy tracker, Control Center customization, 3D audio support for built-in TV speakers, internal SSD expansion, and several UX enhancements.
September 30, 2021: PS5 Console Shipments Surpass 13.4 Million
As of September 30, 2021, PlayStation 5 console shipments surpassed 13.4 million units.
October 2021: Game Trials Introduced for UK Users
In October 2021, Sony introduced Game Trials, starting with a limited release for UK users for Death Stranding: Director's Cut and Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Users could download and play the full version of the game for a fixed amount of time, after which they would need to purchase the game to continue playing.
November 2021: PlayStation Direct Program Expanded to Europe
In November 2021, Sony expanded its PlayStation Direct program to sell consoles directly to consumers within Europe to bypass scalpers, due to the limited supply of the PlayStation 5.
December 16, 2021: List of Incompatible PS4 Games Reduced
As of December 16, 2021, the official PlayStation website shows six PlayStation 4 games that remain incompatible with the PlayStation 5: Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume One, Hitman Go: Definitive Edition, Just Deal With It!, Robinson: The Journey, Shadwen, and We Sing.
January 2022: Sony Continues PS4 Production to Alleviate PS5 Shortage
In January 2022, Bloomberg News reported that Sony was continuing production of the PlayStation 4 rather than discontinuing it at the end of 2021, in order to help alleviate the shortage of the PlayStation 5 while the chip shortage continued.
January 2022: PlayStation VR2 Announced
In January 2022, Sony announced the PlayStation VR2 for the PlayStation 5, a successor to the PlayStation VR. The new device features a headset with dual OLED panels supporting 4K resolution, HDR, and 90/120 Hz refresh rates. It also includes two Sense controllers with embedded IR LEDs, haptic feedback, and adaptive triggers, similar to the DualSense controller. The headset incorporates eye-tracking for foveated rendering and in-game features, and the controllers include finger touch detection. Unlike its predecessor, the PlayStation VR2 uses internal cameras for positioning and connects to the console via a single USB-C cable.
March 2022: PS5 Shipment Forecast Revised Downward
In August 2021, Sony anticipated shipping over 22 million PlayStation 5 units by the end of its 2021 fiscal year in March 2022, but this was revised to 15 million units in November.
March 2022: Software Update 5.00 Released with Accessibility Improvements
In March 2022, Sony released software update 5.00 for the PlayStation 5, which added several improvements for accessibility such as an improved screen reader with support for features like mono audio, reading notifications aloud, additional language support, and the ability to show a check mark on enabled settings. Support for voice commands was also introduced in this update for users in the United States and United Kingdom. Support for the Ukrainian language was also added, and Game Base was enhanced.
May 2022: PS5 Sales Reach 20 Million Units
By May 2022, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 20 million units.
August 2022: Price Increase Announced
In August 2022, Sony announced a price increase of up to 20% in most markets except the US for the PlayStation 5, citing global economic, inflationary, and supply chain pressures.
August 2022: Another Hardware Revision Shipped
In August 2022, Sony began shipping another hardware revision (the 1200 series) for both the base and digital versions of the PS5, which used a die shrink of the original SoC to lower the power draw.
August 2022: DualSense Edge Controller Revealed
In August 2022, Sony revealed the DualSense Edge (CFI-ZCP1), a new controller for the PlayStation 5, featuring additional capabilities.
2022: Supply Expected to Remain Limited Until at Least 2022
Due to a global semiconductor shortage and increased demand, the PlayStation 5's supply was limited upon launch and through 2021. Sony expected supply to continue to be limited until at least 2022.
January 26, 2023: DualSense Edge Initial Release on PlayStation Direct
On January 26, 2023, the DualSense Edge controller was initially released on PlayStation Direct.
February 22, 2023: PlayStation VR2 Launch
On February 22, 2023, the PlayStation VR2 launched for $549.99 in the United States, €599.99 in the EU, and £529.99 in the United Kingdom. Launch titles included Horizon Call of the Mountain, Gran Turismo 7, and Resident Evil Village. The headset is not compatible with original PlayStation VR games without developer updates. Initial reviews were positive, but the device later faced criticism for a perceived lack of ongoing support.
February 23, 2023: DualSense Edge Availability Expanded to Other Retailers
On February 23, 2023, the DualSense Edge controller became available through retailers other than PlayStation Direct.
March 8, 2023: Software Update 7.00 Released with VRR Support
On March 8, 2023, Sony released software update 7.00 for the PlayStation 5, which included VRR support for 1440p resolution, the ability to transfer data between PS5 consoles, support for voice chat on Discord, and support for using voice to save video clips of gameplay.
July 2023: PS5 Sales Reach 40 Million Units
By July 2023, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 40 million units.
September 13, 2023: Software Update 8.00 Released with Dolby Atmos Support
On September 13, 2023, Sony released software update 8.00 for the PlayStation 5, which included support for Dolby Atmos, the possibility to use an M.2 SSD with a maximum capacity of 8 TB (up from the previous 4 TB limit), and the ability to mute the start-up beep sound.
September 2023: Studios Working with PS5 Pro Devkit
Industry rumors stated that Sony's internal studios had been working with the devkit version of the PlayStation 5 Pro console as early as September 2023.
October 2023: Slimmer PS5 Models Announced
In October 2023, Sony announced new, slimmer models of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, colloquially referred to as the PlayStation 5 Slim.
November 2023: Slimmer PlayStation 5 Models Released
In November 2023, slimmer hardware revisions of both the standard PlayStation 5 and the Digital Edition replaced the original models on sale.
December 2023: PS5 Sales Reach 50 Million Units
By December 2023, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 50 million units.
2023: Sony Pictures Core Service Release
In 2023, the Sony Pictures Core service was released on the PlayStation 5. The system already supported streaming services like Netflix and YouTube. Additionally, the PlayStation 5 supported PlayStation Now, Sony's cloud gaming subscription, while it was still available. The Remote Play application was updated before the PlayStation 5 launch to allow remote play of PlayStation 5 games on other devices.
2023: Supply Chain Issues Fixed
Sony expected a short retail stock until 2023, and the company said that the PlayStation 5 supply chain issues were fixed.
March 13, 2024: Software Update 9.00 Released with Power Indicator Adjustment
On March 13, 2024, Sony released software update 9.00 for the PlayStation 5, which included the ability to adjust the brightness of the PS5's power indicator, added new features in Parties and Share Screen, and improved the DualSense and DualSense Edge wireless controllers mic input quality with a new AI machine-learning model.
March 2024: Industry Rumors of PS5 Pro Begin
Industry rumors regarding the PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro) started circulating in March 2024.
September 10, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Formally Announced
On September 10, 2024, Sony formally announced the PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro), which features a faster GPU, PSSR upscaling technology, and faster ray tracing.
September 12, 2024: Software Update 10.00 Released with Welcome Hub and Party Share
On September 12, 2024, Sony released software update 10.00 for the PlayStation 5, which added Welcome hub, Party Share, personalized 3D audio profiles, adaptive controller charging, and support for enabling remote play for individual users.
September 2024: PS5 Total Shipments Reach 65 Million Units
By the end of September 2024, total shipments of PlayStation 5 units had reached 65 million units.
November 7, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Released
On November 7, 2024, the PlayStation 5 Pro model was released, featuring a faster GPU, improved ray tracing, and an AI-driven upscaling technology.
November 2024: PS5 Pro Pricing and Market Reaction
In November 2024, Sony president Hiroki Totoki stated in an investor call that the company did not believe the high price of the PS5 Pro had a negative impact on sales, since the Pro model was targeting hardcore users who are willing to pay more for high performance.
November 21, 2024: Limited Edition PS5 Release for 30th Anniversary
On November 21, 2024, limited quantities of the PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro, with gray cases and special branding, were released to celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary. Similar branded PlayStation DualSense, DualSense Edge, and PlayStation Portal devices were also made available.
February 2025: PS5 Sales Reach 75 Million Units
By February 2025, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 75 million units.
March 25, 2025: Software Update 11.00 Released with Activity Card Details
On March 25, 2025, Sony released software update 11.00 for the PlayStation 5, which added full details displaying on activity cards, support for Unicode 16.0 emojis, parental control adjustments, system performance and stability improvements, and refinements to messages and overall usability on certain system screens.
Mentioned in this timeline
PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned by Sony Interactive...
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India officially the Republic of India is a South Asian...
Japan is an East Asian island country in the Pacific...
China officially the People's Republic of China PRC is located...
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