The PS4 is reportedly the most profitable games console in video game history. A thread from noted PlayStation analyst ArmGunar on Resetera claims that the machine has outperformed all of its competitors and predecessors.
ArmGunar says that "according to my calculations, PS4 is now the most profitable console in video game history," having amassed ¥1230 billion ($11.33 billion) in profit from its launch in Q3 2013 and Q2 2020, which ended last month, and for which Sony recently released its financial results.
That's around three times the profit generated by the PS1, and four times more than the PS2. It also puts the PS4 above some of Nintendo's famously successful efforts - ArmGunar says that adjusted for inflation, the DS brought in ¥1150 billion ($11.04 billion), while the Wii managed ¥1100 billion ($10.56 billion).
ArmGunar's findings come after a hugely successful year for PlayStation. The releases of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us Part 2 lead to two of its biggest non-holiday quarters ever, and the last three months also lead to the sale of just under 90 million games, 12.4 million of which were published by Sony.
Hardware sales weren't quite so high, and it looks like the PS4 is set to fall behind the PS2's very impressive trajectory. With the PS5 release date looming on the horizon, that's not too surprising, but it's worth noting that Sony still sold more than a million new consoles, making for 113.6 million PS4 sales in total.
It's an impressive feat for the PS4, but it certainly sets a high bar for the PS5, which will likely be relying on the PS5 launch games to get off to a flying start. Don't forget to check if you've got one of the rarest limited edition PS4 consoles ever.
