- The PS4 Pro was released in late 2016 as an upgrade over the base PS4.
- Leaked data confirms that it sold around 14.3 million units by 2020 when the console generation ended.
- Therefore, less than 14% of PS4 owners had the Pro variant.
Last generation, the technology quickly caught up to the brand-new PlayStation and Xbox consoles from 2013. Following the buzz surrounding 4K TVs and 60FPS gameplay, Sony and Microsoft broke the trend of console lifecycles.
Releasing mid-gen refresh consoles that aimed at 4K gaming and higher frame rates when possible, both companies offered new introductions to their lineups. However, recent data suggests that the PS4 Pro did not sell too well.
Why it matters: This could be a worrying sign for the upcoming PS5 Pro since this console will likely be more expensive than last generation’s Pro console and offer a smaller leap.
According to leaked data from the recent Insomniac breach, the PS4 Pro had sold around 14.3 million units by 2020.
This was the final year for the hardware on the market before Sony introduced the PS5 in late November, effectively rendering the PS4 Pro worthless as a more powerful option over the base offering.
By then, overall PS4 sales had reached the 105.3 million mark, highlighting that Sony’s mid-gen refresh only accounted for around 14% of the total sales. In 2017, Jim Ryan noted that the Pro model was sold at close to a 1/5 ratio, with almost 20% of the sales coming from the mid-gen refresh.
However, the console likely lost steam in the following months. This data may also be why Xbox is not keen on another mid-gen refresh, with Phil Spencer confirming no such plans are in place.
The Xbox One X likely sold a similar percentage of consoles, though the actual console sales must have been lower than the PS4 Pro since the Xbox One family only sold 58 million units.
In the following years, Sony confirmed the PS4 sold 117 million units. While a few more PS4 Pro units must have been sold in this period, the release of the PS5 and dwindling interest in last-gen consoles likely meant that the percentage of Pro consoles sold compared to the overall sales remained consistent.
Still, the 14.3 million sales were enough to motivate Sony to create another Pro console. According to reports, the PS5 Pro is already in the works and features machine learning in addition to 2x ray-tracing performance.
This mid-gen refresh is expected to arrive later this year, with a reveal reportedly planned for Q3 2024.
The figures prove what many had already expected. Since the Pro consoles are targeted at enthusiast gamers, they sell much less than the base models.
This is expected to remain the case for the PS5 Pro. Compared to 2013, PlayStation’s base console is already quite capable, offering 60FPS gameplay and impressive visuals in the vast majority of games, further diminishing the value of a mid-gen refresh.
Featured Image Credit: Mashable
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
