Sony is messaging PS4 owners to try and get them to buy a PS5 console and it’s proving very irritating for those that aren’t ready to upgrade.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 has sold over 84.2 million units worldwide since it launched in 2020, and while it’s miles ahead of the Xbox Series X/S, it’s marginally behind the PlayStation 4 at the same point in the console’s lifecycle.
Within the same five year span, the PlayStation 4 had reached 86.3 million units sold, so Sony’s current generation console is behind by 2.1 million. It’s still impressive though, especially as this generation saw a far slower migration from one console to the next.
Sony, however, still clearly isn’t happy with the turnover, because it’s now beaming itself into the homes of PlayStation 4 users armed with a QR code and the 2026 release calendar, in a manner of speaking.
As proven by Reddit user Sahilshaw09, Sony is sending messages to PlayStation 4 users through the console, encouraging them to upgrade to a PlayStation 5 – casually omitting the fact that the system is more expensive now than it was five years ago.
The message reads: ‘Whether you’re catching up with hits from 2025 like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Arc Raiders and Ghost Of Yōtei or getting ready for the most-anticipated games of 2026 including Saros, 007 First Light, Nioh 3, and so much more, now’s the perfect time to upgrade to a PS5 console.
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‘Scan the QR code to see the latest deals on PS5 consoles.’
Interestingly, the pop-up doesn’t mention GTA 6, which will drive more PlayStation 5 console sales than any of the games listed when it launches on November 19.
This is the second time Sony has ignored GTA 6 in a list of upcoming games in 2026, sparking rumours that they know it’ll be delayed again – or that they and Rockstar have had some kind of falling out.
PlayStation 4 players have had little incentive to upgrade over the years because games have continued to launch across both systems, including Sony exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarök. It’s emblematic of a changing games landscape too, as many people just want a vessel to play Fortnite and Roblox on.
Ongoing reports suggest this generation could be longer than usual – thanks to the ongoing memory shortage – so this might be a push to keep sales ticking over for the current system.
After this generation, one of the biggest obstacles facing Sony will be convincing people to upgrade to a PlayStation 6 – especially if it simply relies on minor graphical enhancements.
Although there’s increasing suspicion that they might first focus on a rumoured new handheld device, that will supposedly be compatible with the PlayStation 5.
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