5 Years Later, the PS5 Has Destroyed Xbox. However the PS6 Faces a Greater Menace

No one might have predicted the turbulent state that console gaming is in proper now.

5 years in the past, Sony and Microsoft each launched next-gen consoles with very related PC-based architectures. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (and its less-powerful sibling, the Series S) promised even larger and extra sensible gaming experiences with close to PC-quality graphics and responsiveness. We had been instructed that ray tracing—the recreation of sensible lighting, reflections, and shadows in video games—could be price spending $500 for a brand new field to plug into our 4K TVs.

On the fifth birthday of each consoles, I can inform you we had been bought a lie. Jaw-dropping as ray tracing is, few video games even help the graphics enhancement. Out of the more than 1,050 games within the PS5’s library, solely 60-something games support ray tracing—that’s a measly 6%. As disappointing as that’s, the PS5 has emerged because the winner towards the Xbox Collection X, outselling Microsoft’s recreation console by an enormous margin. As of November 2025, the PS5’s crossed 84 million items shipped globally since 2020, versus the estimated 30 million that the Xbox Collection X/S in the identical period of time.

The place Microsoft has fumbled again and again—attempting to show Xbox into the “Netflix of gaming” with Sport Go, pivoting to a bigger writer by buying Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, and hiking hardware prices multiple times due to an inner mandate to show a 30% revenue—Sony has expertly navigated the identical business challenges with sensible expansions for its PlayStation model.

There’s no telling what’s going to occur sooner or later, however trying again on the previous 5 years of PS5, it’s clear that Sony did good by players. Actually f*cking good, for probably the most half.

Designed for gamer wants

I’ll admit that after I first noticed the PS5, I used to be not into its curved panels or its huge measurement. Consoles are presupposed to get smaller and extra {powerful}, not bigger—shrinkage is a straightforward and visual marker of technological progress. The unique Xbox was disliked (particularly in Japan) as a result of it was such a behemoth. However it appears the PS5 design was excellent, at the least in comparison with the Xbox Collection X, which is actually only a plain-looking black field. So out of the gate, Sony shipped {hardware} that regarded prefer it was from the long run—individuals actually love devices that look materially new and completely different.

Because the video games (and exclusives like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Ultimate Fantasy VII: Remake) rolled in, it grew to become extra sure to me that the PS5 was the higher {hardware} for the long term. Although my launch-day PS5 solely had 825GB of built-in SSD storage, it might simply be expanded with a normal M.2 NVMe SSD. The Xbox Collection X has a proprietary storage enlargement slot on the again, however for a few years, solely Seagate bought them, and so they had been actually costly. Sony selected the much less evil path, and players like me respect that openness.

Even higher than an reasonably priced method so as to add storage to put in the ballooning measurement of video games had been two {hardware} options I didn’t assume would go away any long-lasting impression on me: the adaptive triggers within the DualSense controller and the “Tempest 3D audio.” Adaptive triggers present extra nuanced haptic suggestions, like the power to really feel the resistance of a automotive gear pedal in Gran Turismo 7, the stress when pulling again a bow in Horizon: Forbidden West or switching a weapon in Resident Evil Village, and even the completely different floor supplies in Astro Bot. Adaptive triggers add one other layer of sensory immersion. Tempest 3D audio is much less recognized, however virtually each PS5 recreation helps it. Utilizing a suitable headset, you possibly can hear delicate sound results like footsteps, gunfire, and rain (to call just a few) coming from completely different instructions. It really works so nicely and is so underrated, however it actually heightens issues within the thick of a recreation. I by no means used a gaming headset with my consoles earlier than, however on PS5, I virtually all the time do.

Attempting issues

The evolving nature of gaming additionally means it’s not sufficient for Sony (or anyone) to launch a console and simply get as many video games on it as attainable. These days are lengthy gone. So Sony tried issues; bizarre issues that didn’t essentially grow to be massive hits, however I’m nonetheless glad it took a stab at them as a result of it’s stored the PS5 from growing older out.

Peripherals just like the PlayStation VR2, a second-generation model of the PSVR for PS4, opened up the console to extra VR video games and a 2D digital display screen to play PlayStation titles on. The PlayStation Portal, whereas not a standalone handheld by itself, let gamers stream their PS5 to it over Wi-Fi for distant play away from the console. A free software update has expanded the Portal’s performance to permit streaming PlayStation video games straight from the cloud as an alternative of from a PS5. Positive, the PSVR 2 is basically a failure and the Portal doesn’t actually compete with the Swap 2 or any handheld PC, however they gave the PS5 a moat. The Xbox Collection X had no such factor.

The complete-on {hardware} refresh with the slimmer PS5 and the more powerful PS5 Pro in 2024 has little doubt helped prop up the console because it enters its midlife. Does it suck that Sony hiked up prices for the PS5 and PS5 Pro a 12 months later due to Trump’s nonsensical tariffs? Completely, however that doesn’t appear to have harm PS5 gross sales as a lot because it has harm Xbox Collection X gross sales.

Increasing to PC

I’ll get to Sony bringing its PS5 exclusives to PC and what meaning for PlayStation’s future in a second, however the one factor the corporate deserves extra credit score for is increasing the PlayStation model past the console {hardware}.

A PlayStation will all the time primarily be a console that sits below your TV first, however it’s now additionally a household of gadgets that orbit it and any gaming PCs that may play its unique titles. In contrast to Microsoft, which has leaned into Xbox being a service that may be performed on any machine, Sony sees PlayStation as an ecosystem and way of life gaming model. In that method, it’s turning into extra like Razer, which sells its own Blade gaming laptops, but in addition sells the peripherals designed for them.

When Sony announced its Inzone PC gaming brand of gaming headsets and displays, which additionally labored with PS5, I knew it was solely a matter of time earlier than we received extra. You didn’t want 20/20 imaginative and prescient to see that the Inzone merchandise had been closely impressed by the PS5’s white and black design language.

Inzone and PlayStation are nonetheless separate gaming manufacturers immediately, and so they’re serving each PlayStation and PC players. The PlayStation Pulse Elite headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds are made for PS5, however they’re additionally suitable with PC gaming. Identical goes for the 27-inch PlayStation Gaming Monitor with DualSense Charging Hook, FlexStrike wireless fighting stick, and the Pulse Elevate portable desktop speakers, that are all popping out in 2026.

This huge and rising ecosystem of PlayStation {hardware} solely deepens and entrenches the platform as a spot price shopping for into. Like a sports activities crew, customers root for the businesses and platforms they really feel the overall managers are rising. Sony is profitable bodily and psychological mindshare with PS5- and PC-compatible {hardware}, whereas Microsoft is… apparently trying to compete with TikTok and movies. In attempting to make each machine an Xbox, Microsoft has misplaced its concentrate on what console players crave—new consoles and the accompanying peripherals to make video games extra pleasing—whereas Sony has solely doubled down on core players.

PlayStation first, PC second

It’s such a wierd factor to see once-exclusive Xbox video games like Forza Horizon 5 and Gears of War: Reloaded on PS5, and Halo coming to Sony’s console in 2026. These franchises was fodder for taking sides, however not anymore. Now that Microsoft has prioritized publishing its video games on as many platforms as attainable, there’s virtually no motive to be loyal to Xbox.

Time will inform whether or not chasing earnings from video games was price sacrificing Xbox consoles on the altar, however Sony is going through the identical problem of rising recreation growth prices. Greater AAA video games with extra detailed graphics value extra money to make than ever earlier than—a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars}. So it solely is sensible that publishing a recreation on as many platforms—even a competitor’s—is a extra sustainable enterprise mannequin.

The distinction is that Sony just isn’t handing out its video games to PC earlier than it has milked them out on PS5 first. Nicely-reviewed video games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launched on PS5 in October 2023, however solely on PC in January 2025, and Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Reduce got here out on PS5 in 2021, however on PC in Could 2024. Even remastered variations of previous titles just like the PS4’s God of Warfare, launched first on PS5 in Could 2021 earlier than arriving a 12 months afterward PC in January 2022.

This friendliness for publishing its video games for PC and even making a lot PC/PS5-compatible {hardware} has many pondering that Sony’s taking steps to observe Microsoft and grow to be an all-platform writer, however that’s simply not going to occur. In case all of the PS5 peripherals didn’t make it clear, the primary and major platform that Sony desires players taking part in its video games is by itself PlayStation consoles. PC just isn’t an equal citizen; it’s second-class. Sony is barely publishing its video games on PC to recoup losses (if a recreation bombs) or achieve extra income later (as soon as PS5 gross sales have tapered off). Keep in mind that a lot of the work of porting a recreation from PS5 to PC has already been achieved, because of the similarities in x86 system structure for each platforms, so it’s extra cost-efficient than it could have been pre-PS4 period.

Positioned for PS6, however the Steam Machine looms

Wanting forward, Sony is in a superb place to launch its next-gen PlayStation—let’s just call it the PlayStation 6—in just a few years and cruise to victory. Rumors counsel that the PS6 might launch in 2027 or 2028, which might be in keeping with previous console lifecycles; the PS5 launched seven years after the PS4. Microsoft says it’s committed to premium Xbox hardware, which is anticipated to launch across the similar time, however with all of the missteps it’s made, the Xbox trustworthy could not pull up.

It additionally doesn’t assist that Sony’s PS6 could resemble the Nintendo Switch 2 with a hybrid design that may go from console to handheld and vice versa. Or if the PS6 is a standard console and a separate handheld, that could possibly be regarding, too. Such a {hardware} departure might go away no matter Microsoft has deliberate for its Xbox Collection X successor trying outdated if it additionally doesn’t have some handheld part.

Sony’s largest menace isn’t a brand new Xbox or the Swap 2—it’s Valve’s newly announced Steam Machine that’s launching in early 2026. The 6 x 6-inch console is mainly a tiny gaming PC that runs SteamOS, which suggests it might probably play your full library of Steam video games. Tech specs and first impressions from the media present the Steam Machine is a succesful sufficient 1080p and 1440p gaming field, however it could fall wanting the efficiency from the PS5 Professional. Specs-wise, Sony has the sting now, and will for sure eclipse the Steam Machine with the PS6, however it’s not simply Valve’s field that it must compete with. The identical method the Steam Deck opened the door to bigger and more powerful handheld PCs to the purpose the place the market rapidly grew to become saturated, the Steam Machine will likely be a blueprint for third-party corporations, massive and small, to launch their very own SteamOS-based consoles. When—not if—that occurs, Sony will face assault from extra instructions than it ever has.

Sport exclusives and an increasing {hardware} ecosystem helped catapult the PS5 to the highest and go away Xbox maimed and confused. It’s additionally one thing that Sony shouldn’t lose sight of for the PS6 and past. A gradual stream of exclusives all the time sells new {hardware}. It’s all the time been this fashion and all the time will likely be. Simply have a look at Nintendo. Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon carried the Swap to over 150 million items shipped worldwide, and it’s going to do the identical factor for the Swap 2, which is already breaking records. If the PS6 isn’t as profitable because the PS5, it’ll be as a result of there aren’t sufficient unique video games.