The death of PS4 signalled by Sony’s lack of sales figures

The death of the PS4 is imminent as Sony focuses on the PS5 and stops reporting on the older console's sale figures. Despite committing to further PS4 production, Sony's omission suggests an end to the PS4's lifecycle is in sight.

Sony confirmed that PS5 manufacturing would ramp up by year-end to avoid a PS5 price hike, suggesting a transition away from the PS4 was in full swing. However, with the PS4's absence from Sony's latest sales report, it seems the death of the PS4 is practically imminent.

Hero Spider-Man bids hero PlayStation 4 adieu.

Sony to end PS4 production soon

While Sony has yet to announce an official end to the PS4's production, the company's no longer tracking the console's sales is as much a death knell as any official declaration. Sony did state in January its intention to continue manufacturing the PS4 to combat low PS5 stock numbers. Still, it seems with the supply chain seemingly returning to regular operation at the latter end of this year, Sony is now slowly returning to its original plan.

TweakTown, who first noticed the PS4's absence in Sony's report, suggests that the PS4's lifetime sales have rounded out at 117.2 million units — a figure that we think might still be stretched should Sony continue to report on units annually sold as a result of its potentially final burst in production. Another million units or so would keep the PS4's lifetime figures well beneath the PS2's 155 million lifetime sales, but it might help edge it just past the Game Boy and Game Boy Color's combined 118.69 million sales, making the PS4 the third best-selling console ever made.

PlayStation 4, we hardly knew ye. Though we did all have ye.

As it stands, the PS4 is rather fittingly the fourth-highest selling console ever produced — though, granted, the Nintendo Switch is hot on its tail. In all likelihood, the PS4 will just edge past the Game Boy, only to be knocked back to fourth place by the Switch's continued strong sales. Still, a fitting end to an era-defining PlayStation console, we think. Make sure to pour one out by checking out our updated best PS4 games list, and let us know your fondest memories of Sony's return to console dominance in the comments below.

PlayStation 4

Written by Lee Brady

Staff Writer Lee keeps one eye on the future (Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth), one eye on the past (PS Plus Premium, recent Sony news), and his secret third eye on the junk he really likes (Sonic Superstars, Final Fantasy XVI). Then he uses his big mouth to blurt out long-winded opinions about video games.