PlayStation is one of the most recognizable brands in the history of games. From the first console with defining titles like Final Fantasy VII to the PlayStation 5 with smash hits like God of War Ragnarok, PlayStation is still today one of the key pillars in the games industry. Numerous consoles have been released over the last 29 years, with revisions, portable consoles, and new generations included. Below, we've compiled every single PlayStation console ever released. Take a stroll down memory lane and dive into the history of PlayStation!
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How Many PlayStation Consoles Have There Been?
In total, fourteen PlayStation consoles have been released since the first PlayStation released in 1995 in North America. This list includes Slim revision models for consoles and the two portable consoles that Sony has released under the PlayStation branding.
Every PlayStation Console in Order of Release
PlayStation - September 9, 1995
The Sony PlayStation is the console that started it all. In a major departure from the industry leader Nintendo's cartridge-based approach, the PlayStation utilized CD-ROM. These discs had much more space on them, which led to major developers like Square Enix crafting games for the console. The PlayStation is forever remembered for titles like Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, Resident Evil 2, Vagrant Story, Crash Bandicoot, and many more great PS1 games.
PS One - September 19, 2000
PS One is a redesigned model of the PlayStation, offering the same features in a smaller form factor. The one major change with this model was the removal of the reset button. In 2002, Sony released an attachable screen for the PS One called the Combo. This was made possible due to the removal of a few miscellaneous ports on the back of the console. It's also worth noting that the PS One outsold the PlayStation 2 in 2000, which is wild looking back.
PlayStation 2 - October 26, 2000
PlayStation 2 took to the scene in October 2000 offering a massive increase in visual fidelity compared to its predecessor. Long gone were the days of polygon-shaped figures, and in were the days of detailed character models and 3D action titles. To this day, the PlayStation 2 is still the best selling console of all time. Although, the Nintendo Switch is slowly inching closer and closer with each update. You can check out our picks for the best PS2 games of all time to see why it was so beloved.
PlayStation 2 Slim - November 2004
The PlayStation 2 Slim made monumental improvements across the board in performance, efficiency, and design. First off, the disc drive was changed to be top-load, which fixed some issues players ran into with dual layer discs on the standard PlayStation 2 consoles. Additionally, Sony reduced the power draw for the PS2 Slim by reworking the internals to be more efficient. PS2 Slim was much smaller than the original PS2, hence the 'Slim' name. This was the first Slim revision by Sony, which has been utilized in every PlayStation generation since.
PlayStation Portable - March 24, 2005
PlayStation Portable was the first portable console Sony ever released under the PlayStation name. Also referred to as the PSP (not to be confused with the new PlayStation Portal), this console had capabilities of playing games, watching movies, and listening to music. It utilized UMDs as its method of physical storage for games and movies. The device was even capable of connecting to the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 in some capacities, with certain titles allowing for the PSP to be utilized in-game. The best PSP games of the time were also really solid entries in various franchises.
PlayStation 3 - November 17, 2006
PlayStation 3 was a massive step up from the PS2, with all sorts of new capabilities. The major shakeup came with the new online features, specifically with PlayStation Network. PSN brought online multiplayer, digital downloads, and much more. This console was also backwards compatible, so PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles could be inserted and played rather than just PS3 games. Lastly, PS3 introduced support for Blu-ray discs, which allowed players to insert movies and watch through their console. This addition is one of the reasons consoles have become some of the best Blu-ray players on the market in 2024.
PlayStation 3 Slim - September 1, 2009
PlayStation 3 Slim arrived three years after the release of the original PS3, dropping over 33% of the weight, bulk, and power consumption of the original model. The cooling system was completely redesigned to save space, which also provided better thermals for the system. By far, the biggest departure of this release was the lack of backwards compatibility. Sony dropped support for PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles in this model, and this is a feature that has never returned.
PlayStation Vita - February 22, 2012
PlayStation Vita marked Sony's first new entry in the portable gaming space in nearly seven years. A key draw for many was the ability to play hundreds of incredible titles across both the PS3 and the Vita. At the time of release, it was the most advanced portable system on the market, with dozens of features no other developer offered. Later in its life, Remote Play for PlayStation 4 was added, allowing players to stream PS4 games to the Vita anywhere in their homes.
PlayStation 3 Super Slim - September 25, 2012
PlayStation 3 Super Slim was the final revision for PlayStation 3. Releasing just a year before PS4 hit the market, the PS3 Super Slim featured a top-load Blu-ray drive, better power efficiency, and an even slimmer design. Looking back on this release, the PlayStation 3 Super Slim ended up being the most durable PS3 that Sony released, which was largely due to the disc drive design and slimmer body.
PlayStation 4 - November 15, 2013
PlayStation 4 offered internals that were over five times faster than PS3, allowing for a massive jump in visual quality for games. PS4 saw the release of incredible titles like Uncharted 4, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and many more. Another quality feature available on PlayStation 4 was the addition of a removable HDD, which allowed players to swap hard drives in and out for more storage. The DualShock 4 controller was also a massive step up from the DualShock 3, offering a more ergonomic design to aid in comfort during long play sessions. The best PS4 games are still some of the best modern games you can play.
PlayStation 4 Slim - September 15, 2016
In short, PlayStation 4 Slim was just a smaller and better version of the PlayStation 4. The PS4 Slim was much more power efficient than its predecessor, which allowed for the internals to be shrunk down into a smaller form factor design. While there was no difference in performance between this console and the standard PS4, the smaller design and quieter cooling system was a huge draw for many.
PlayStation 4 Pro - November 10, 2016
PlayStation 4 Pro was a monumental step forward from the standard PlayStation 4. The console marked Sony's first entry into 4K support, with upscale technology utilized to create a 4K image. Combined with HDR support, the PS4 Pro finally allowed players to take advantage of their 4K displays. With twice the GPU power of PS4, this console was able to provide boosted frame rates for many titles.
PlayStation 5 - November 12, 2020
PlayStation 5 marked the most powerful PlayStation console to date, with support for ray tracing, 120FPS, steady native 4K output, and more. By far, this is the largest PlayStation ever released, though it comes just under the PlayStation 3 in terms of weight. Alongside the console, the PlayStation DualSense Controller brought loads of new features, including adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and a USB-C charging port. Our list of the best PS5 games dives into some of the greatest console titles to be released in this decade.
PlayStation 5 Slim - November 10, 2023
PlayStation 5 Slim brought new changes to the PlayStation 5 without drastically changing any of the hardware inside. First, the console is much smaller than the original PlayStation 5, which is a bulky console that can be challenging to fit in shelves. The major change with PS5 Slim is the modular design, which allows you to buy a console without a disc drive and buy the attachable drive separately later on.
Upcoming PlayStation Consoles
Although the PS5 Slim was released just last year, we are already expecting the release of the PS5 Pro at some point during the holiday season in 2024. As for the next generation of PlayStation consoles, we don't really have an exact date of when to expect them to arrive. Some speculation puts the release of the PS6 anywhere between 2026 and 2030.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
