Sony’s PlayStation series of consoles has dominated gaming for almost 30 years now, with one of them being the best-selling console of all time. It is difficult to imagine gaming without the PlayStation, but that was almost the case. Prior to the release of the PlayStation 1, it was originally intended to be an add-on for the SNES, which would have changed the landscape of gaming as we know it. But, thankfully that wasn’t the case and the PlayStation has remained a constant part of gaming for three decades. Here are all of the PlayStation consoles ranked from worst to best.
5. PlayStation 3 (7th Generation)
Following the huge success of the PlayStation 2, all eyes were on Sony to see what it had up its sleeve for the PlayStation 3. Although it is still a great console in its own right, it is the low point in the history of Sony. The PlayStation 3 was incredibly expensive at launch and just never felt like it stacked up against the Xbox 360. It did feature some incredible exclusives including Metal Gear Solid 4 and did have free online play compared to the Xbox 360’s forced Xbox Live, but Sony has done much better in the years prior and since.
4. PlayStation 5 (9th Generation)
It is difficult to accurately place the PlayStation 5 on this list as it is less than halfway through its lifecycle, but it is already off to a great start with more than 40 million units sold. Although it hasn’t changed much that the PlayStation 4 put in place, it is essentially a PS4 on steroids and continues to push the boundaries of what gaming is capable of with some of the best-looking games to date including God of War: Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part 1, and Marvel’s Spider-Man.
3. PlayStation 1 (5th Generation)
Everything changed when the PlayStation 4 launched in 1994. Sony’s first venture into gaming brought 3D capabilities to the forefront and was perhaps the biggest leap we’ve ever seen in gaming. The PlayStation 1 library is one of the strongest ever seen with titles including Final Fantasy 7, Resident Evil 2, and Metal Gear Solid. With what Sony has achieved in the three decades since it is still interesting to think about what gaming would look like if the partnership with Nintendo never ended and this was released as an add-on for the SNES.
2. PlayStation 4 (8th Generation)
The PlayStation 4 is one of the best-selling consoles of all time and has outsold both its competitor, the Xbox One, and the previous generation PlayStation 3 at more than a 2:1 ratio. When it comes to the library of games, the PlayStation 4 has one of the strongest exclusive libraries we’ve ever since, with the likes of God of War, The Last of Us 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Bloodborne helping to make it a must-have console for any gamer.
1. PlayStation 2 (6th Generation)
As of the time of writing, the PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time with over 155 million units sold worldwide, although the Nintendo Switch is catching up to it rapidly. The PlayStation 2 boasts over 10,000 games, including Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Gran Turismo 4. One of the most interesting facts about the PlayStation 2 is that despite the console being released in 2000, the final game to be released was in September 2013, just weeks before the PlayStation 4.
What do you think is the best PlayStation console? Let us know in the comments below.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out every Call of Duty: Modern Warfare game ranked from worst to best.
