History of PlayStation 5 in Timeline
The PlayStation 5 (PS5), developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and released in November 2020, is a ninth-generation home video game console and successor to the PlayStation 4. Launching alongside Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S, the PS5 boasts enhanced processing power and graphical capabilities, supporting features like ray tracing and high refresh rates. The console marked a significant step forward in gaming technology and user experience for the PlayStation brand.
2013: PlayStation 4's launch numbers
In 2013, the PlayStation 4 sold 2.1 million units in its first two weeks.
March 31, 2019: Next-generation hardware development affirmed
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.
April 2019: PlayStation 5 Announcement
In April 2019, the PlayStation 5 (PS5) was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
October 2019: Sony Intends to Ship Next-Generation Console Worldwide by the End of 2020
In October 2019, Sony announced its intention to ship its next-generation console worldwide by the end of 2020.
March 2020: Mark Cerny presentation on CPU clock timing
During a March 2020 presentation, Mark Cerny explained how CPU clock timing required particular attention for backward compatibility; though the Zen 2 CPU has an instruction set to handle the PS4's Jaguar CPU, their timings can be very different, so Sony worked closely with AMD when developing the Zen 2 CPU to more closely match the Jaguar's timings.
March 18, 2020: Full Specifications Revealed
On March 18, 2020, the full specifications for the PlayStation 5 were given 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, featuring adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone array, and a two-tone color scheme.
April 2020: Next-Generation Hardware Development Confirmed
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.
May 2020: Sony's certification program requires PS4 games to be natively compatible with PlayStation 5.
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 had been planned for June 4, 2020, but was postponed until June 11 due to the George Floyd protests.
June 11, 2020: PlayStation 5 Form Factor Revealed
During the June 11, 2020 presentation, the PlayStation 5's form factor was revealed, featuring a two-tone design with a black central unit flanked by white side panels, and blue LED accents.
July 13, 2020: Requirement for PS4 games to be natively compatible with PlayStation 5
As of July 13, 2020, Sony's certification program required that all PlayStation 4 games submitted for certification after this date be natively compatible with the PlayStation 5.
September 16, 2020: Date and Pricing Confirmation
On September 16, 2020, as part of a game showcase presentation, the release date and pricing for the PlayStation 5 were confirmed.
September 19, 2020: Sony Apologizes for Pre-Order Issues
On September 19, 2020, Sony apologized for the chaotic PlayStation 5 pre-order launch, which led to quick sell-outs and scalping, and promised to increase deliveries and stock.
October 9, 2020: List of PS4 games identified as incompatible with PS5
On October 9, 2020, Sony released a list of ten PlayStation 4 games identified as being incompatible with PlayStation 5.
November 12, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch in Select Regions
On November 12, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea.
November 19, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch in Most of the World
On November 19, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in most of the rest of the world.
December 11, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch in the Philippines
On December 11, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in the Philippines.
2020: Global chip shortage affected console supply
From 2020 to 2023, the worldwide supply of the PlayStation 5 console remained low due to a global chip shortage.
2020: Planned Launch by 2020 End-of-Year Holiday Period
Sony planned to launch the PlayStation 5 by the 2020 end-of-year holiday period.
December 31, 2020: Total shipments of PS5 through fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2020
Sony reported total shipments of the PlayStation 5 through its fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2020 of 4.5 million units, which were similar numbers to the PlayStation 4's launch shipments.
January 22, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launch in Indonesia
The PlayStation 5 launched in Indonesia on January 22, 2021.
February 2, 2021: PlayStation 5 Release in India
The PlayStation 5 was released in India on February 2, 2021, after a delay due to a trademark dispute.
March 31, 2021: Total shipments of PlayStation 5 reached 7.8 million by March 31, 2021
Total shipments of PlayStation 5 reached 7.8 million by March 31, 2021, surpassing the 7.6 million units that the PlayStation 4 had shipped in its first two-quarters of release.
April 2021: Software update for external USB hard drive transfer
In April 2021, Sony released a software update allowing users to transfer downloaded PlayStation 5 games to an external USB hard drive.
May 15, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launch in China
The PlayStation 5 system launched in China on May 15, 2021.
May 2021: Shift in game release strategy; Gran Turismo 7 and God of War Ragnarök now planned for both PS5 and PS4
In May 2021, Sony announced a shift, with previously PS5-exclusive games Gran Turismo 7 and God of War Ragnarök now planned as both PS5 and PS4 games. This decision, influenced by the global semiconductor shortage, led to negative feedback when Sony initially planned to charge for PS4 to PS5 upgrades.
June 2021: PlayStation 5 system software beta program announced
In June 2021, Sony announced a PlayStation 5 system software beta program, similar to the Xbox Insider program, enabling users to test early releases of planned console software updates.
June 30, 2021: Shipments of 10.1 million consoles by June 30, 2021
The company confirmed that by June 30, 2021, it had shipped 10.1 million consoles, indicating that nearly every shipped console had been sold as soon as it reached the market.
July 2021: Beta software includes internal storage expansion support
In July 2021, the beta software path included support for expanding internal storage via the M.2 port on the PlayStation 5.
July 18, 2021: 10 million PS5 units sold through by July 18, 2021
Sony reported that as of July 18, 2021, 10 million PlayStation 5 units had been sold through, making the PlayStation 5 its fastest-selling console to date.
August 2021: Minor Hardware Revision Released
In August 2021, Sony released a minor hardware revision of the PlayStation 5 (1100 series), featuring a smaller heatsink and a simplified console stand attachment.
September 2021: Over a million PS5 sales in Japan
By September 2021, Sony reported over a million PlayStation 5 sales in Japan.
September 2021: New software update with trophy tracker and UX enhancements
In September 2021, Sony released a software update 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 2021: SSD Support Added in System Update
In September 2021, a system update added support for user-installed NVMe SSD drives up to 8 TB in an internal M.2-format solid-state drive (SSD) slot for the PlayStation 5.
September 30, 2021: Console shipments surpassed 13.4 million as of September 30, 2021
Console shipments surpassed 13.4 million as of September 30, 2021.
October 2021: Introduction of Game Trials
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, offering users access to download and play the full version of the game for a limited time.
November 2021: Expansion of PlayStation Direct program to Europe
In November 2021, Sony expanded its PlayStation Direct program to sell consoles directly to consumers within Europe to bypass scalpers due to limited supply immediately upon launch of the PlayStation 5.
December 16, 2021: Official PlayStation website shows six PS4 games that remain incompatible with PS5
As of December 16, 2021, the official PlayStation website shows six PlayStation 4 games that remain incompatible with 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: Continued production of PlayStation 4 to alleviate PlayStation 5 shortage
In January 2022, Bloomberg News reported that Sony was continuing production of the PlayStation 4 rather than discontinue 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, featuring dual OLED panels capable of 4K resolution, HDR, and 90/120 Hz refresh rates.
March 2022: Revised shipment forecast for the end of fiscal year 2021
In August, Sony anticipated enough stock hardware to ship more than 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 with accessibility improvements
In March 2022, Sony released software update 5.00 which adds 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, which allows users to control their PlayStation 5 by saying "Hey, PlayStation" and then a chosen command. Support for the Ukrainian language was also added, and Game Base was enhanced with the abilities to view all friends in a new "Friends" tab, more easily decline friend requests, and other enhancements and updates. There were also various enhancements made to trophies, child accounts, the home screen, and other features.
May 2022: PS5 sales reach 20 million units by May 2022
Sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 20 million units by May 2022.
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: DualSense Edge Controller Revealed
In August 2022, Sony revealed the DualSense Edge (CFI-ZCP1), a new controller for the PlayStation 5 featuring additional capabilities.
August 2022: Shipping of 1200-series Revision
The 1200-series PlayStation 5 revision began shipping in August 2022, featuring a die shrink of the SoC, reducing power consumption and allowing for a redesign of the heatsink.
2022: Expected supply limitations through 2022
In 2022, Sony expected supply to continue to be limited due to a global semiconductor shortage, combined with increased demand for video game consoles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 26, 2023: DualSense Edge Released on PlayStation Direct
On January 26, 2023, the DualSense Edge controller was initially released on PlayStation Direct.
February 22, 2023: PlayStation VR2 Headset Launched
The PlayStation VR2 headset launched on February 22, 2023, for $549.99 in the United States, €599.99 in the EU, and £529.99 in the United Kingdom. Games available at launch included Horizon Call of the Mountain, Gran Turismo 7, and Resident Evil Village.
February 23, 2023: DualSense Edge Made Available Through Other Retailers
The DualSense Edge was made available through other retailers on February 23, 2023.
March 8, 2023: Release of software update 7.00
On March 8, 2023, Sony released software update 7.00, 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 (at release, this is only available in English for the US and UK).
July 2023: PS5 sales reach 40 million units by July 2023
Sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 40 million units by July 2023.
September 13, 2023: Release of software update 8.00
On September 13, 2023, Sony released software update 8.00, 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: Sony's internal studios working with devkit version of the Pro console
Industry rumors stated that Sony's internal studios had been working with the devkit version of the Pro console as early as September 2023.
October 2023: PlayStation 5 Slim Models Announced
In October 2023, Sony announced revised models of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, colloquially referred to as the "PlayStation 5 Slim".
November 2023: Slimmer Hardware Revisions Released
In November 2023, slimmer hardware revisions of both the base PlayStation 5 model and the Digital Edition replaced the original models on sale.
November 2023: PlayStation 5 Slim Models Released
Revised models of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, known as the "PlayStation 5 Slim", were released in November 2023, replacing the original versions.
December 2023: PS5 sales reach 50 million units by December 2023
Sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 50 million units by December 2023.
2023: Release of Sony Pictures Core service
In 2023, the Sony Pictures Core service was released on the PlayStation 5 system.
2023: Supply Chain Issues Fixed
Worldwide supply of the PlayStation 5 console remained low due to a global chip shortage from 2020 to 2023. Sony expected a short retail stock until 2023; the company said that the supply chain issues were fixed.
March 13, 2024: Release of software update 9.00
On March 13, 2024, Sony released software update 9.00, 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 PlayStation 5 Pro
Since March 2024, there were industry rumors regarding the existence of the PlayStation 5 Pro console.
September 10, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Formally Announced
On September 10, 2024, the PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro) was formally announced by Sony, featuring a faster GPU, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) upscaling technology, and improved ray tracing.
September 12, 2024: Release of software update 10.00
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: Total shipments of PS5 units reached 65 million by end of September 2024
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 model was released on November 7, 2024. It features a faster GPU, improved ray tracing, and introduces an AI-driven upscaling technology.
November 2024: Reactions to PlayStation 5 Pro Price
In November 2024, reactions to the pricing of the PS5 Pro were reported. Rolling Stone noted an "overwhelmingly negative" response, while Sports Illustrated criticized the value for the price.
November 21, 2024: Limited Edition Release for 30th Anniversary
On November 21, 2024, limited quantities of the PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro with special branding were released to celebrate the PlayStation brand's 30th anniversary.
February 2025: PS5 sales reach 75 million units by February 2025
Sales of the PlayStation 5 reached 75 million units by February 2025.
March 25, 2025: Release of software update 11.00
On March 25, 2025, Sony released software update 11.00, 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
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