It's like all we heard about the PS5 was that it was super hard to get when it came out and then it kind of disappeared from our collective consciousness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:PlayStation_5-only_games

Gee, wonder why.

"meaning the other 59 million must still be using the PlayStation 4."

That's not what that means.

As of last December there were still 2 million active PS3 users.

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2023/12/26/ps3-monthly-active-users-report/

I'd imagine there's still a limited number of PS Vita and PSTV accounts too.

My ps5 is basically a really big PS4 lately.

For me, it was:

• You couldn't get one for ages when it came out, so I missed the initial hype period.

• When it did finally become available, it was prohibitively expensive.

• There are no real killer exclusives or features so no particular reason to upgrade, aside from games looking nicer.

• Sony is releasing all the good stuff on PC now, so if I want to play a nicer-looking version of a PS4 game I can just do that.

• Steam Deck

Well, I can only speak from my own experience.

When the PS5 launched I wanted to upgrade but you literally couldn't get it because it wasn't in stock anywhere. You could only find it on eBay of some private seller that started at almost double the price, no, thank you. Then Sony introduced this "Register and on the next event you get a slot to buy one from the official Website" which was great. I got invited the first time and literally couldn't buy it because the website was broken. Whenever I wanted to select my payment method the checkout got blank and there was nothing you could do. Even worse was that you couldn't hard refresh the shop because this would have killed the session that the website needed to allow you to buy it. So, even switching browsers with the same "invitation link" didn't work. I reported this to the support, but they didn't really care. half a year later, I got my second invitation link and the same happened then as well. I reported it again to the support, but they still didn't know what to do with that information or wanted to troubleshoot this.

And now, there isn't really a need for it anyway. The Games that I would have wanted to buy on the PS5 released on the PC.

All the greatest recent games run super well on the Steam Deck, so there's no need for a giant console cosplaying as a router.

it has no games and was plagued by availability/price issues for a BIG while there.

why should anyone buy it?

PS3 lets me play online for free. Later consoles don't.

PS3 plays CDs and stores media files on its internal hard drive. Later consoles are limited to external storage solutions for media playback (and no, streaming doesn't count).

PS3 has a snazzy user interface. Later consoles have... a user interface, I guess.

PS3 plays PS1 disks. Some models even play PS2 disks. None of the later consoles do that, having a strong reliance on digital downloads for PS1 and PS2 compatibility, meaning some games are straight up limited to the earlier consoles.

PS3 even lets me transfer games and media to a PSP or PS Vita through a USB connection. Guess what, the later consoles straight up don't do that.

Don't have an HDTV? PS3 works with composite, component, and even S-Video in addition to working with HDMI. It even downscales Blu-ray Disks to fit on your super small screen. Got an HDTV? PS3 upscales your DVDs to fit your super big screen. Later consoles only work with HDMI, and I'm not sure if the upscaling/downscaling thing with DVDs and Blu-ray even works or not.

The choice is yours.

I upgraded to PC running Linux instead

Sometimes I forget it is a thing.

I still don't have a 4k TV either. The PS5 is friggin HUGE. My space is at a premium.

You know what? I barely play the games I already have. I should just go to the gym.

If they would make them backwards compatible I would be more likely to upgrade it still bugs me that they stopped doing that. I miss my old PS3. That thing was awesome I even installed Linux on it and had emulators working… the good old days.

I still have a PS2...

The PS5 doesn't even have a browser because they're scared of exploits

Why not just have some hardened Firefox with auto updates instead of licensing a browser from a company specialized in exploitable browsers for consoles? Nobody uses netfront, why Sony and Nintendo are so obsessed with it?

I play, like, fine games. In very irregular binges. Why the fuck would I shill out 500 Euros, to raise my binges' fps?

I only bought a ps4 well after the 5 dropped, and only because my pal had got a new xbox and wasn't playing with his ps4 anymore. Long story short I got the ps4, 3 controllers, and 5 hardcopy games for £50 and a joint. Until I can get a ps5 for that....I ain't upgrading

Surely they're all just waiting for the PS5 pro? That will solve it! /s

Most people don't need the newest and expensive tech. From the last 30 days of active games on Playstation brand, here a split PS3/PS4/PS5 (I just show a ratio that is set in relation to the numbers of players for the game), meaning left side is older console:

https://ps-timetracker.com/statistic/last-30-days

• - / 42 / 14 Fortnite (3 times)
• - / 3 / 2 Roblox (1.5 times)
• 0 / 33 / 9 Minecraft** (3.7 times)
• - / 14 / 9 Cod:MW2 (1.6 times)
• - / 38 / 12 GTA V (3.2 times)
• - / 23 / 8 Rainbow Siege (2.9 times)
• - / 26 / 8 Apex Legends (3.3 times)
• - / 17 / 7 Overwatch 2 (2.4 times)
• - / 1 / 1 EA Sports FC 24 (1 time)

Edit: I have added simple math result in how many times the PS4 player base is big as the PS5 player base. Just out of curiosity and to provide a quicker way of scanning through the list.

(**ps3 players almost at 0 level for this game)

As you can see, all games are available for PS4 and they run decent enough, are multiplayer games and the new consoles do not offer anything substantial for these kind of players.

IMO improving graphics technology is a case of diminishing returns. Sure you can always make a better looking game by throwing more processing power at it, but that has (at best) a minor effect on things like gameplay and story. Like seriously, if Squenix had decided to make FF7: Rebirth in the PS3 era, other then some uglier graphics how much would the game have have been different?

And (to actually tie this in to the thread) that's the reason PS5 sales have been so sluggish. What do you really need those PS5 graphics for? I mean my PC is still running hardware from 5-10 years ago, because there isn't anything I really need to upgrade for. Most of what I've been playing is indy titles and for the few graphic intensive games I want to play they'll usually run if I lower some graphics settings.

All the games are in both consoles. If amything, it's dragging down PS5 ppl.