How many people are still on PS4 in 2024?
As of January 2023, there are still over 100 million monthly active users on the PlayStation 4 according to the latest official Sony financials. This enormous community of gamers continues flocking to the PS4 every month despite the PS5 launching years ago in late 2020.
Let‘s dive deeper into the key factors sustaining the PS4‘s popularity through 2023 and likely for years to come:
PS5 Shortages Drastically Slowing Next-Gen Adoption
The biggest challenge facing PS5 adoption? Actually finding one to buy. As of January 2023, Sony has sold over 30 million PS5 consoles globally – a very solid figure. However due to supply chain issues combined with sky-high demand, PS5 stock continues selling out instantly.
Securing your own PS5 remains no easy feat in 2024. [Image credit: PlayStation]
Ardent gamers are desperately signing up for stock alerts and following PS5 restock accounts – with little luck securing Sony‘s elusive next-gen console. And until PS5 production stabilizes in the next year or two, most players simply have no choice but to stick with PS4 for modern titles. Even 3 years post-launch, PS4 remains the only viable PlayStation option for tens of millions of gamers – sustaining its 100m+ strong community through 2023.
PS4‘s Vast Game Catalog And Ongoing Support
Hardware and affordability aside, people buy consoles first and foremost to play blockbuster games. And the PS4 has one of the most impressive game libraries ever produced – currently over 4,000 titles according to the PlayStation Store.
| Category | # of PS4 Games |
|---|---|
| PlayStation Hits | 247 |
| Action | 1,108 |
| Adventure | 629 |
| RPGs | 344 |
The PS4 boasts incredible depth across AAA sports franchises, epic RPG adventures, award-winning indies, and everything between. And from icons like Grand Theft Auto V to acclaimed exclusives like Ghost of Tsushima – these massive budget productions only shine brighter as developers harness a decade of PlayStation evolution.
When you also factor in PSVR‘s catalog of over 900 games itself – there simply isn‘t a console with more immersive or diverse gaming choice than the PS4 in 2024. Faced with these endless acclaimed titles yet to play or replay, 100 million players are clearly in no rush to put their PS4‘s in storage.
Strikingly too, both 1st and 3rd party studios are still actively releasing major PS4 games simultaneously alongside PS5 versions:
Some Big Upcoming PS4 Titles:
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Assassin‘s Creed Mirage
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Street Fighter 6
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Diablo 4
As long as leading developers steadily support older hardware, the PS4 community will keep on gaming.
Backwards Compatibility & Next-Gen Upgrade Incentives
Backwards compatibility is a killer console feature, and Sony wisely enabled full support for PS4 games on PS5 hardware. Got a new PS5? Every one of your PS4 digital games or discs come along for the fast loading, higher resolution ride.
Doubling down, PlayStation even offers over 600 PS4 games a free upgrade to native PS5 versions. Flagship exclusives like Spider-Man, Horizon Forbidden West, and Gran Turismo 7 qualify – rewarding loyal PS4 early adopters with better-than-ever experiences on latest hardware.
The unprecedented cross-generation support gives PS4 veterans little reason not to eventually transition. And clever initiatives like PlayStation Plus will even let players transfer cloud saves between generations. Going PS5 means gaining visual upgrades without losing years of gameplay progress or purchases. And with PS4 discs working across both consoles, switching is now just an insertion away.
So there‘s no conflict transitioning from PS4 to eventual PS5 adoption for gamers. That accumulated history guarantees we‘ll see PS4 and PS5 coexist happily for 6+ years total this generation. Many are simply biding time until PS5 production meets true demand within a couple years…while remaining perfectly content gaming on reliable old PS4‘s.
PS4‘s Compelling Value 3 Years Post-Successor
It‘s also easy forgetting that PS5 Digital Edition aside, PS4 Slim models now retail brand new at just $299. That positions the 150+ million selling predecessor console as an affordable next-generation stopgap while supply issues continue hobbling PS5 availability.
Consider too that Xbox Series S sits at that very same entry-level $299 mark. The least expensive gateway into higher performance "next-gen" gaming ironically remains last-gen tech, with PS4 and Xbox One X handily outperforming budget Series S and One S editions of Xbox to this day.
Between cost, game library breadth, and full modern title support, PlayStation 4 uncannily remains a relevant value buy even 3 years post-PS5. The games play identically across both PlayStations, and for just $299 – why not pick up a crisp 1080p/30fps PS4 to complement your PS5 down the road?
Just How Long Will The PS4‘s Reign Last?
Judging by all the above factors – and PlayStation‘s unprecedented 7-10 year console lifecycles – the PS4 seems guaranteed at least another 4 years of relevancy minimum.
I‘d peg 2026-2027 as the beginnings of a slow sunset, with certain AAA franchises dropping PS4 support in favor of focusing purely on PS5 exclusives. But even then, the PS4‘s mainstream relevance and 100 million+ install base means major publishers will think twice before fully moving on.
Beloved consoles don‘t fade away overnight – especially not historic best-sellers like PlayStation 4. This workhorse wonder will likely still be humming along – to the tune of 50+ million monthly users – well into late 2020s.
The PS4 Keeps Marching On
Between ongoing supply shortages hampering next-gen adoption – combined with PS4‘s unmatched legacy game catalog, ongoing big release support, and compelling sub-$300 pricing – PlayStation 4 should confidently cruise past 120-150 million lifetime sales before its said and done.
Just remember, support fades slowly the deeper a console permeates pop culture. We were playing PlayStation 2 games well into the PS3 era. And PS3 received titles long after PS4 launched. Expect this longevity trend to continue.
The PS5 future may have arrived, but make no mistake – the PS4 reign is far from over in 2024. With over 100 million gamers still loyally playing every month and counting, Sony‘s greatest system ever built remains the gift that keeps on giving.
