PS3 Now Officially the Worst-Selling PlayStation Console, But Its Comparison to Xbox Is Shocking

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The PlayStation 5 has been a hit since its release, and after just five years, it has surpassed the PlayStation 3 in total sales—at least in the United States. This means the PS3 is now Sony’s least successful home console. While the PS3 did better than the PlayStation Vita and Portable, when those handhelds are excluded, it sold fewer units than any other Sony console. Still, the PS3 was a strong seller, outselling every Xbox ever made.

PlayStation 3 Beats Every Xbox Console

So, looking back at the PS3, it actually sold a really solid 87.4 million units by 2024. That’s pretty impressive when you remember how rough the launch was! Seriously, it came out at $600, which was a huge ask, and developers had a nightmare trying to make games for it because the system was so complicated.

Sony made some smart choices, especially offering online play without extra fees. Once developers figured out the unique Cell processor, they started releasing really good games. The early years were uncertain, but Sony successfully recovered and set the stage for a fantastic PlayStation 4 launch.

As a PlayStation fan, I always felt the PS3 got a bad rap, but it really turned things around for Sony. While it didn’t sell as much as the original PlayStation, it actually ended up outselling the Xbox 360! Microsoft hasn’t released official numbers for the 360 in years – since 2015, actually – and it’s tough to believe they ever caught up. The PS3 finished with around 87.4 million units sold, while the Xbox 360 is thought to be around 84 million. It was a great comeback for Sony!

Okay, so looking at the numbers, the PS3 totally crushed every Xbox console. The Xbox One managed around 58 million sales by 2023, and the original Xbox only hit 24 million. Even the newer Xbox Series X|S, as of September 2025, is at just 28.3 million. When you add all three Xboxes together, they’ve sold roughly 20 million more units than the PS3. Seriously, if anyone’s still calling the PS3 a flop, they need to brush up on their math skills!

This really highlights how a poor initial impression can damage a console’s reputation. It’s also remarkable how Sony managed to change people’s minds over several years. Microsoft started the Xbox One generation confidently, expecting to maintain its success, but things didn’t quite go as planned.

The Xbox One struggled because many of its initial unpopular features remained issues throughout its lifespan, and it didn’t follow Sony’s successful strategy from the previous console generation. Both companies faced challenges, but Sony ultimately created the more popular console. While Sony isn’t perfect, they’ve consistently made smarter decisions than Xbox.

Where Does the PlayStation 3 Sit All-Time?

While the PlayStation 3 sold better than any Xbox, its overall ranking among all gaming consoles isn’t so clear. It depends on the sales data you look at. Currently, the PlayStation 5 hasn’t yet surpassed the PS3 in global sales – it’s still about a million units behind. For simplicity, let’s focus on worldwide sales figures to get a comprehensive overview.

The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling video game console ever. While the Nintendo DS and Wii came close, they still sold around six to seven million units less. After those, several consoles have each sold over 100 million units: the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, PlayStation 4, original PlayStation, and Wii. The PlayStation 3 follows, with 87.4 million units sold, making it eighth on the all-time list.

The PlayStation 5 is currently just outside the top ten best-selling consoles worldwide, ranking 11th, slightly behind the Game Boy Advance. It’s expected to surpass the Game Boy Advance – and possibly even the Xbox 360 – by the end of 2025 as sales continue to climb.

Despite the criticism Sony received when the PlayStation 3 first came out, it has actually outsold many popular consoles like the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and Nintendo 3DS. That’s quite an achievement for a console that’s become so well-known for its early struggles. Most companies would be thrilled to have the PlayStation 3’s level of success, even though it was initially considered a disappointment.

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2025-10-25 17:11