History of PlayStation 5 in Timeline
The PlayStation 5 (PS5), developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and launched in November 2020, is a ninth-generation home video game console succeeding the PlayStation 4. Released alongside Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S, the PS5 boasts enhanced processing power and updated features, marking a significant advancement in console gaming technology.
2 hours ago : PS5 Receives System Software Update 25.06-12.02.00, Featuring Security Enhancements and Improvements
PlayStation 5 has a new system software update, version 25.06-12.02.00, which focuses on providing security fixes and general improvements to the console's performance and stability. The update is now officially rolled out.
2013: PlayStation 4 Two-Week Sales
In 2013, the PlayStation 4 sold 2.1 million units in its first two weeks.
March 31, 2019: Sony's Financial Report Affirms Next-Generation Hardware Development
Sony's financial report for the quarter ending March 31, 2019, confirmed that new next-generation hardware was under development but would not be released before April 2020.
April 2019: Mark Cerny Publicly Describes New Console
In April 2019, Mark Cerny provided the first public details about the new PlayStation console in an interview with Wired magazine.
April 2019: PlayStation 5 Announcement
In April 2019, Sony Interactive Entertainment officially announced the development of the PlayStation 5 as the successor to the PlayStation 4.
October 2019: Sony Intends to Ship Next-Gen Console Worldwide by End of 2020
In October 2019, Sony announced its intention to release its next-generation console worldwide by the end of 2020. The current hardware specifications were also revealed in October 2019.
March 2020: PS5 Backward Compatibility Details Revealed
During a March 2020 presentation, Mark Cerny explained that the PS5 is designed to be backward compatible with more than "99 percent" of PS4's 4,000+ game library from launch, with many PS4 games benefiting from improved loading times and gameplay speeds. The PS5 is also compatible with PlayStation VR.
March 18, 2020: PlayStation 5 Full Specifications Revealed
On March 18, 2020, full hardware specifications for the PlayStation 5 were unveiled in an online presentation by Mark Cerny and published by Sony and Digital Foundry.
April 7, 2020: DualSense Wireless Controller Revealed
On April 7, 2020, Sony revealed the DualSense wireless controller for the PlayStation 5. It features adaptive triggers with force feedback, a "Create" button (replacing "Share"), a built-in microphone array, improved speaker, USB-C connectivity, and a two-tone color design.
April 2020: New hardware would ship no earlier than April 2020.
In early 2019, Sony's financial report for the quarter ending March 31, 2019, affirmed that new next-generation hardware was in development but would ship no earlier than April 2020. This means that in April 2020, Sony did not launch any new hardware, delaying it to a later date.
May 2020: PS4 Games Certification Program Update
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: Postponement of Game Library Showcase
The major game library showcase initially planned for June 4, 2020, was postponed until June 11 due to the George Floyd protests.
June 11, 2020: PlayStation 5 Form Factor Revealed
On June 11, 2020, the form factor of the PlayStation 5 was revealed, featuring a two-tone design with a black central unit and white side panels, along with blue LED accents. The console can be oriented vertically or horizontally.
July 13, 2020: PS4 Game Compatibility Requirement
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: PlayStation 5 Release Date and Pricing Confirmation
On September 16, 2020, the date and pricing for the PlayStation 5 were confirmed as part of a game showcase presentation. The console was released in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea on November 12, 2020, and in most of the rest of the world on November 19, 2020.
September 19, 2020: Sony Apologizes for Chaotic PlayStation 5 Pre-Orders
On September 19, 2020, Sony apologized for the chaotic launch of PlayStation 5 pre-orders, which had started prematurely at several retailers in the United States and the United Kingdom after the September 16 presentation, leading to rapid sell-outs and confusion. Sony promised to increase pre-order deliveries and stock availability.
October 9, 2020: List of Incompatible PS4 Games Released
On October 9, 2020, Sony released a list of ten PS4 games identified as being incompatible with PS5, with some games later receiving compatibility updates.
November 12, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch in Select Countries
On November 12, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea as the successor to the PlayStation 4. The PS5 is part of the ninth generation of video game consoles, competing with Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles.
November 19, 2020: PlayStation 5 Global Release
On November 19, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in most of the world outside of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea, which had received the console on November 12, 2020.
December 11, 2020: PlayStation 5 Philippines Launch
On December 11, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in the Philippines.
2020: Global Chip Shortage Impacts PlayStation 5 Supply
Beginning in 2020, the worldwide supply of the PlayStation 5 remained constrained due to a global chip shortage.
2020: PlayStation 5 Launch Planned for End-of-Year Holiday Period
In 2020, Sony planned to launch the PlayStation 5 by the end-of-year holiday period.
December 31, 2020: PS5 Shipments Through December 31, 2020
Sony reported total shipments of the PS5 through its fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2020, of 4.5 million units, similar to the PS4's launch shipments.
January 22, 2021: PlayStation 5 Indonesia Launch
On January 22, 2021, the PlayStation 5 was launched in Indonesia.
February 2, 2021: PlayStation 5 India Launch
On February 2, 2021, the PlayStation 5 was officially released in India after a delay due to a trademark dispute.
March 31, 2021: PS5 Shipments Through March 31, 2021
By March 31, 2021, total shipments of PlayStation 5 reached 7.8 million, surpassing the 7.6 million units that the PS4 had shipped in its first two-quarters of release.
April 2021: PS5 Game Transfer to External USB Drive
In April 2021, Sony released a software update allowing users to transfer downloaded PS5 games to an external USB hard drive.
May 15, 2021: PlayStation 5 China Launch
On May 15, 2021, the PlayStation 5 was launched in China.
May 2021: Shift in PS5 Exclusive Game Strategy
In May 2021, Sony announced a major shift in their approach to PS5-exclusive games, with Gran Turismo 7 and God of War Ragnarök now planned for both PS5 and PS4, reversing course from earlier plans. Additionally, Sony initially planned to charge PS4 users to upgrade to the PS5 version of Horizon Forbidden West when preorders were announced, but after negative feedback from consumers, stated that this upgrade will be free, but all future PS4 to PS5 upgrades from their first-party games will be at cost.
June 2021: PlayStation 5 System Software Beta Program Announcement
In June 2021, Sony announced a PlayStation 5 system software beta program, similar to the Xbox Insider program, allowing signed-up users to test early releases of console software updates.
June 30, 2021: PS5 Console Shipments
Sony confirmed that by June 30, 2021, it 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: Internal Storage Expansion via M.2 Port
In July 2021, support for expanding internal storage via the M.2 port was added in the beta software path for the PlayStation 5.
July 18, 2021: PS5 Fastest-Selling Console Milestone
As of July 18, 2021, Sony reported that 10 million PS5 units had been sold through, making the PS5 its fastest-selling console to date.
August 2021: Minor Hardware Revision of PlayStation 5 Released
In August 2021, Sony released a minor hardware revision (1100 series) of the PlayStation 5. This version features a smaller heatsink and eliminates the need for a screwdriver when attaching the console stand.
September 2021: New Software Update Release
In September 2021, Sony released a new software update that introduced a trophy tracker, Control Center customization, 3D audio support for built-in TV speakers, internal SSD expansion, and several UX enhancements.
September 2021: PlayStation 5 System Update Adds SSD Support
In September 2021, a system update for the PlayStation 5 added support for user-installed NVMe solid-state drives (SSDs) up to 8 TB, following a public beta.
September 30, 2021: Console Shipments Surpass 13.4 Million
As of September 30, 2021, PlayStation 5 console shipments surpassed 13.4 million.
October 2021: Game Trials Introduction
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, granting access to the full game for a fixed time before purchase is required.
November 2021: PlayStation Direct Expansion to Europe
In November 2021, Sony expanded its PlayStation Direct program to sell consoles directly to consumers within Europe in an attempt to bypass scalpers amidst ongoing supply shortages.
December 16, 2021: List of Remaining Incompatible PS4 Games
As of December 16, 2021, the official PlayStation website lists six PS4 games that remain incompatible with PS5: Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume One, Hitman Go: Definitive Edition, Just Deal With It!, Robinson: The Journey, Shadwen and We Sing. The Playroom, a bundled PlayStation 4 game, is also not supported.
January 2022: Continued PS4 Production
In January 2022, Bloomberg News reported that Sony was continuing production of the PS4 rather than discontinuing it at the end of 2021, in order to help alleviate the shortage of the PS5 while the chip shortage continued.
January 2022: PlayStation VR2 Announced
In January 2022, Sony announced the PlayStation VR2 for the PlayStation 5. It includes a headset with dual OLED panels, 4K resolution, HDR, 90/120 Hz refresh rates, Sense controllers with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and eye-tracking for foveated rendering.
March 2022: Expected PS5 Hardware Stock
In August 2021, Sony anticipated having enough stock hardware to ship more than 22 million PS5 units by the end of its 2021 fiscal year in March 2022, but this was revised to 15 million units in November. Despite this, sales during the fiscal year 2022 were forecast to increase to 22.6 million units.
March 2022: Software Update 5.00 Release
In March 2022, Sony released software update 5.00, which added accessibility improvements like an improved screen reader with mono audio and notification reading, voice command support for US and UK users, Ukrainian language support, Game Base enhancements, and other feature updates.
May 2022: Sales Reach 20 Million Units
By May 2022, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 20 million units.
August 2022: PlayStation 5 Price Increase Announced in Select Markets
In August 2022, Sony announced a price increase of up to 20% for the PlayStation 5 in most markets except the US, citing global economic, inflationary, and supply chain pressures. A revised model with reduced power consumption also began shipping in August 2022.
August 2022: DualSense Edge Controller Announced
In August 2022, Sony announced the DualSense Edge, a new controller for the PlayStation 5 featuring additional capabilities like replaceable stick modules and multiple control profiles.
August 2022: PlayStation 5 1200-Series Revision Begins Shipping
In August 2022, Sony began shipping the 1200-series revision of the PlayStation 5. This version features a die shrink of the SoC, reducing power consumption and allowing for a redesigned heatsink and weight decrease.
2022: Expected Supply Limitations
Throughout 2021, the PlayStation 5 was in limited supply due to a global semiconductor shortage and increased demand from the COVID-19 pandemic. Sony anticipated that supply would continue to be limited until at least 2022.
January 26, 2023: DualSense Edge Initial Release
On January 26, 2023, the DualSense Edge (CFI-ZCP1) controller for the PlayStation 5 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.
February 23, 2023: DualSense Edge Available Through Retailers
On February 23, 2023, the DualSense Edge controller for the PlayStation 5 became available through retailers other than PlayStation Direct.
March 8, 2023: Software Update 7.00 Release
On March 8, 2023, Sony released software update 7.00, including VRR support for 1440p resolution, data transfer between PS5 consoles, Discord voice chat support, and voice-activated gameplay video clip saving (initially in English for the US and UK).
July 2023: Sales Reach 40 Million Units
By July 2023, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 40 million units.
September 13, 2023: Software Update 8.00 Release
On September 13, 2023, Sony released software update 8.00, featuring Dolby Atmos support, an increased M.2 SSD capacity limit of 8 TB, and the option to mute the start-up beep sound.
September 2023: Internal Studios Working with PS5 Pro Devkit
Industry rumors indicated that Sony's internal studios had been working with the development kit version of the PlayStation 5 Pro as early as September 2023.
October 2023: Announcement of Revised PlayStation 5 Models
In October 2023, Sony announced revised models of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, colloquially referred to as the "PlayStation 5 Slim," scheduled for release in November 2023.
November 2023: Release of PlayStation 5 Slim Models
In November 2023, Sony released the revised PlayStation 5 models, known as the "PlayStation 5 Slim", replacing the original versions. These models are smaller, include 1 TB of internal storage, and feature two USB-C ports on the front.
November 2023: Launch of Slimmer PlayStation 5 Models
In November 2023, slimmer hardware revisions of both the standard and Digital Edition PlayStation 5 models replaced the original models on sale.
December 2023: Sales Reach 50 Million Units
By December 2023, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 50 million units.
2023: Global Chip Shortage Resolution Expected
By 2023, Sony expected the global chip shortage that was impacting PlayStation 5 supply to be resolved, predicting a short retail stock until that time. The company stated that supply chain issues were fixed.
2023: Sony Pictures Core Service Release
In 2023, the Sony Pictures Core service was released on the PlayStation 5 system.
March 13, 2024: Software Update 9.00 Release
On March 13, 2024, Sony released software update 9.00. This update 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 PlayStation 5 Pro
Starting in March 2024, industry rumors began circulating about the development of a PlayStation 5 Pro.
September 10, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Announced
On September 10, 2024, Sony officially announced the PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro). It features an improved GPU, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) for upscaling, and enhanced ray tracing performance.
September 12, 2024: Software Update 10.00 Release
On September 12, 2024, Sony released software update 10.00, 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 Unit Shipments Reach 65 Million
By the end of September 2024, total shipments of PlayStation 5 units had reached 65 million units.
November 7, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Release
The PlayStation 5 Pro was released on November 7, 2024, featuring a faster GPU, improved ray tracing, and an AI-driven upscaling technology.
November 2024: Investor Call Discussion on PlayStation 5 Pro Pricing
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, as it targeted hardcore users willing to pay more for high performance.
November 21, 2024: Release of Limited Edition 30th Anniversary PlayStation Devices
On November 21, 2024, limited quantities of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro, featuring 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: Sales Reach 75 Million Units
By February 2025, sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 75 million units.
March 25, 2025: Software Update 11.00 Release
On March 25, 2025, Sony released software update 11.00, adding full details on activity cards, Unicode 16.0 emoji support, parental control adjustments, system performance and stability improvements, and usability refinements.
August 2025: PlayStation 5 Price Increase in the US
In August 2025, a price increase for the PlayStation 5 took effect in the United States, attributed to a "challenging economic environment".
September 17, 2025: Software Update 12.00 Release
On September 17, 2025, Sony released software update 12.00, introducing a power saver for supported PS5 games and enabling wireless controllers to pair across multiple devices simultaneously.
2025: PS5 Unit Shipments Reach 80.3 Million
Sony's quarterly financial results for Q1 2025 stated that the PlayStation 5 had shipped 80.3 million units.
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