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 wanting again at how PS5 has advanced – 12 months by 12 months – via system software program updates, new equipment, and group milestones that proceed to redefine play.
2020: The starting of a brand new technology
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 modern DualSense wi-fi controller, PS5 launched a brand new technology of immersion by no means felt earlier than in gaming.
- Share Display debuted, permitting gamers to observe mates’ gameplay in actual time through PS5 and afterward the PS App. Since launch, Share Display has been used greater than 1.6 billion occasions, totaling over 900 million hours. High shared titles embody Fortnite, Roblox, Name of Obligation: 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 similar to Accessibility Tags and Second Controller for Help. One out of each 4 PS5 customers have enabled a minimum of one of 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 first main PS5 system replace added Cross-generation Share Play, enabling PS5 gamers with PlayStation Plus membership to nearly ‘move the controller’ to mates utilizing PS4. Since launch, Share Play has been used over 700 million occasions on PS5.
- M.2 SSD storage growth gave gamers freedom to develop their libraries. The use of an industry-standard M.2 format offered a versatile and cost-efficient option to broaden PS5 storage, and the function has since been adopted by tens of millions of gamers.
- We additionally added the power to share PS5 sport captures via the PlayStation App, leading to 5.6 billion captures uploaded. As we speak, practically half of PlayStation messages are despatched from the PS App, with greater than 1 billion voice chat periods happening via the app.
- 2021 additionally launched PS5’s first shade variations – Midnight Black and Cosmic Purple, giving gamers extra methods to customise their console and equipment of their favourite shade.
2022: Extra Choices, Extra Methods to Play
In 2022, PS5 advanced additional to ship a richer and extra customized play expertise.
- VRR (Variable Refresh Price) enhanced visible efficiency by minimizing visible artifacts for smoother, crisper gameplay. Hundreds of thousands of gamers have enabled the function, with 96% of these with VRR-compatible displays utilizing it usually.
- This was additionally the 12 months PlayStation Plus launched a brand new three-tier service, providing a whole bunch of video games within the Recreation Catalog for Additional members and Deluxe/Premium members, in addition to entry to a Traditional Recreation catalog for Premium members. Since launch, the quantity of distinctive catalog gamers has doubled, and the whole gameplay hours for Recreation Catalog and Traditional 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 periods 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 periods – surpassing streams via cellular, 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 package 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 Recreation Catalog, Recreation 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 modern 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 Recreation Assist debuted, enabling gamers to share gameplay trace movies generated from opt-in contributors. The function is now obtainable throughout a whole bunch of PS5 titles, with 1000’s of useful group hints contributed by gamers all over the world.
- The new Welcome Hub launched a personalised PS5 dwelling display screen area 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 modern console so far, together with the PlayStation thirtieth Anniversary Assortment, celebrating 30 unbelievable years of play and creativity.
(*5*)
2025: 5 years of play
Joyful fifth Anniversary, PS5! As we rejoice 5 years of the superb journey, the numbers inform the story:
- PS5 has cumulatively offered over 84 million items globally. For those who lined up each PS5 ever offered, collectively they’d stretch over 28,600 kilometers – lengthy sufficient to go from Tokyo to San Francisco to London, after which all the best way again dwelling once more.
- Greater than 7,500 PS5 video games have been revealed by over 4,000 creators all over the world. By complete playtime, the highest three most-played PS5 multiplayer video games had been Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, and Name of Obligation Trendy Warfare II and the highest three PS5 most-played single-player video games had been Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, God of Conflict 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 at this time, PS5 has redefined what play can imply for creators and the group alike.
Right here’s to 5 unbelievable years of play – and to the tens of millions of gamers who made them unforgettable!
*All figures are based mostly on inside knowledge collected as of September 2025.