Since its launch in November 2020, PlayStation 5 has steadily evolved, shaping how players interact with consoles and the broader gaming community. Over five years, PS5 has introduced new hardware, expanded system software features, and developed a series of accessories that aim to improve accessibility, personalization, and immersion. This article reviews the evolution of PS5 year by year, highlighting both the console’s milestones and its impact on players worldwide.
The Launch and Early Innovations
PS5 arrived with significant hardware improvements, including an ultra-high-speed SSD, immersive 3D Audio, and the DualSense wireless controller. These features established a new baseline for console performance and gameplay immersion. The Share Screen feature allowed players to watch friends’ gameplay in real time, and by 2025 it had been used over 1.6 billion times across 900 million hours. Popular titles shared include Fortnite, Roblox, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and Grand Theft Auto V.
Accessibility has been a focus from day one. At launch, the console offered 11 accessibility options, which grew to 20 by 2025, including features like Accessibility Tags and Second Controller for Assistance. Approximately one in four PS5 users engage with at least one accessibility feature. Even design details, such as the microtextured PlayStation symbols on the DualSense controller, underline Sony’s emphasis on combining form with function.
Growing Connectivity and Storage Options
In 2021, PlayStation expanded the PS5 experience with system software updates focused on social features and storage flexibility. Cross-generation Share Play allowed PS5 players to virtually pass the controller to friends on PS4, which has since been used more than 700 million times. M.2 SSD expansion provided a practical solution for players seeking to increase storage capacity, a feature quickly adopted by millions.
The PlayStation App became a key hub for sharing gameplay content, with 5.6 billion game captures uploaded and nearly half of all PlayStation messages sent through the app. The year also introduced console color variations, such as Midnight Black and Cosmic Red, allowing players greater customization of their setup.
Enhancing Visuals and Subscription Services
PS5’s 2022 updates focused on enhancing gameplay performance and personalizing the gaming experience. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) improved visual quality by reducing screen tearing and improving smoothness on compatible monitors.
PlayStation Plus also expanded with a three-tier subscription service, offering access to a broader Game Catalog and Classic Game catalog for Premium members. This expansion resulted in doubled unique catalog players and a cumulative total of 14 billion gameplay hours across the catalog titles.
Console color options continued to grow with new galaxy-inspired shades like Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple, providing players with additional ways to make their PS5 setups unique.
New Hardware and Accessibility Tools
In 2023, PlayStation introduced several new hardware options. PlayStation VR2 launched with features such as eye tracking, headset feedback, and haptic triggers via the VR2 Sense Controller. Discord voice chat integration allowed cross-platform communication, resulting in more than 1 billion sessions with an average duration of 105 minutes.
The PlayStation Portal device became a leading option for remote play, accounting for over half of all PS5 Remote Play sessions. Sony also released the DualSense Edge controller, a high-performance customizable controller, alongside the Access Controller kit, designed to improve accessibility for all players.
Cloud streaming features expanded access to digital games through PlayStation Plus Premium. New audio products, including Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite wireless headsets, offered improved sound quality via PlayStation Link technology.
Community Features and the PS5 Pro
2024 emphasized community interaction and home screen personalization. Community Game Help allowed players to share gameplay hints through opt-in video contributions, available across hundreds of titles. The Welcome Hub introduced a customizable PS5 home screen with widgets and background options, with battery and personal screenshot widgets among the most popular.
Sony also launched the PS5 Pro, offering the most advanced hardware capabilities to date, alongside the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection, celebrating three decades of gaming history and community engagement.
Celebrating Five Years of PS5
As of 2025, PS5 has sold over 84 million units worldwide. The console hosts more than 7,500 games created by over 4,000 developers. Top multiplayer titles include Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, while top single-player games include Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, God of War Ragnarök, and Hogwarts Legacy. Players have earned 40 billion Trophies, including 110 million Platinum Trophies, and logged a cumulative 100 billion hours of gameplay.
PS5 has continued to evolve as both a hardware platform and a community hub, connecting millions of players globally and providing tools for personalization, accessibility, and creativity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes PlayStation 5 different from PS4?
PS5 features faster load times, improved graphics with 3D Audio, and the DualSense controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, offering more immersive gameplay than PS4.
Can PS5 games be played on PS4?
Most PS5 games are not playable on PS4 due to hardware limitations, though some backward-compatible PS4 games can run on PS5.
What is PlayStation Plus and how does it work?
PlayStation Plus is a subscription service offering access to a curated Game Catalog, Classic Game catalog, online multiplayer, and cloud save functionality. Three tiers - Essential, Extra, and Premium - provide different levels of access.
Does PS5 support VR?
Yes, PS5 supports PlayStation VR2, which includes advanced features like eye tracking, headset feedback, and haptic controllers.
Can PS5 be customized?
PS5 offers color variations for consoles and accessories, customizable home screen widgets, and controllers such as the DualSense Edge, which allow for extensive personalization.
