Sony says 50% of PlayStation gamers are still on PS4, but PS5 is already more profitable
The PlayStation 5 may have launched in 2020, but Sony has confirmed that many players are still enjoying their games on its predecessor, the PS4.
The console, which launched in late 2013, still enjoys an audience of around 50% of PlayStation's active users, according to Sony's latest business segment meeting.
PS4 "still an important part" of Sony's business
Click to enlargeAs per VGC, Hideaki Nishino, the new CEO of SIE's Platform Business Group as of this coming weekend, said the PS5 is the company's most profitable generation yet. The PS4 still has a role to play, however, matching the PS5 with around 49 million monthly users each.
“As you can see, the PlayStation 5 userbase has continued to grow significantly, driving to half of our monthly active consoles,” Nishino explained.
“While the PlayStation 4 is still an important part of our business, our PlayStation 5 players are even more engaged than in our previous generation, and we expect these trends to continue.”
Studios CEO Hermen Hulst also pointed to the platform holder's existing IP as a target for growth and reinforced the company's recent focus on developing live service games.
Why is the PS4 still going so strong?
There are a few reasons why the PS4 could be so enduring. For one, the install base was massive as Microsoft fumbled the Xbox One launch and never truly recovered, and many players may not have decided to upgrade.
After all, the likes of Warzone, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and many of the other more popular titles are cross-generational, meaning you don't need to pick up a new PS5 - especially with supply initially constrained.
The PS4 is also naturally discounted since the launch of the PS5, meaning you can play many of the aforementioned titles for a lot less. That may even make it an ideal second console for your household.
