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Over roughly three decades, Sony has firmly established thePlayStationbrand as a staple of the gaming landscape. Ever since the PS1 was announced and fairly quickly garnered a foothold in the industry, the manufacturer has been producing (mostly) successful consoles that aim to balance accessibility, evolution, and power. As can be seen withthe PS5 Pro, Sony revealing aPlayStation consolewill always inspire discussions, be it positive or negative.
While the discourse currently revolves around Sony’s future, this is also the perfect time to look at the company’s past, specifically concerning the release dates and launch prices. The PS5 Pro is something of an outlier, but Sony is not above throwing the occasional curveball when it comes to console reveals.
Updated on July 13, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Now that the PS5 Pro has been out for a couple of months, this is a good opportunity to expand on the section dedicated to that console.
Only the main PlayStation console models will be included, and no peripherals like PS VR or PlayStation Portable. Also, the focus is on North America, and the prices have not been adjusted for inflation.
PlayStation
Jun 12, 2025
Sony’s console debut, the original PlayStation, is still arguably the company’s most iconic system, even if it was not quite as successful as some of its successors. Compared to pretty much every other PlayStation home console,the PS1 had a fairly short run as Sony’s main platform; however, it put PlayStation on the map and instantly established the brand as a direct competitor and alternative to Nintendo and Sega.
PS One
July 11, 2025
Released very late in the PS1’s lifespan and after the PS2’s debut in Japan, the PS One was a budget option that was also designed around portability, at least to an extent. If they wanted to, players had the option to buy an LCD screen that could be attached to the system. While not among the most decorated or fondly remembered PlayStation consoles, the PS One did foreshadow Slim systems that would eventually become the norm.
PlayStation 2
July 12, 2025
Building swiftly on the success of the PS1, the PlayStation 2 was unquestionably the leading console of its generation, and an argument could be made that it still represents Sony’s peak in gaming. Along with offering a significant boost in power compared to its predecessor, the PS2 could also double as a DVD player, giving it an edge over the Nintendo GameCube. With a massive library filled withall-time masterpieces, this console was and still is great.
PlayStation 2 Slimeline
July 19, 2025
Officially starting Sony’s run with mid-generation alternative consoles, the PS2 Slimline was considerably cheaper and even managed to include a few upgrades like an Ethernet port. That said, the Slim version had its share of issues that impacted compatibility with games and just general reliability. While still a decent option at the time, the original PS2 is the superior overall console and the one to pick up if someone is looking to add to their retro collection.
PlayStation 3
June 18, 2025
After two generations of (mostly) home runs, Sony arguably had its first major stumble with the reveal of the PS3. Considerably more expensive than the norm and boasting arelatively weak line-up of launch titles, the PlayStation 3 had a rough start that arguably persisted for years, with the console only really picking up steam after 2010. This generation also utilized a unique internal architecture that complicated the process of developing games for it, and all these years later, PS3 titles still have to be streamed rather than downloaded on PS Plus. That said, the PS3 did eventually turn things around.
PlayStation 3 Slim
July 12, 2025
Arguably, the PS3’s fortunes began to change with the arrival of the Slim variant, which came with a fair more attractive price, along with a more appealing and lightweight design. While not all the changes were positive (this marked the point when Sony temporarily dropped backward compatibility), the PlayStation 3 Slim was nevertheless a substantial upgrade over its maligned predecessor, and it was among the best overall media options at the time.
PlayStation 3 Super Slim
May 13, 2025
A move that Sony has yet to repeat, the PS3 received another Slim iteration, with the Super Slim coming out roughly a year before thePS4’s debut. Although the disc loader is generally quite polarizing, the Super Slim was nevertheless a solid expansion of its predecessor’s strengths. The original version came with 250 GB of storage, but a 12 GB iteration was also available for those who just used discs or wanted to add an HDD.
PlayStation 4
June 12, 2025
After the turbulent PS3 era, Sony did not take any risks with the PlayStation 4, launching the console at an immediately competitive price while providing a traditional architecture that could allow third-party developers to port projects without too many issues. The PS4 was a smash hit right out of the gate, instantly dominating the generation ahead of the Xbox One. Even more than a decade after its debut,the console is still available and regularly receives new games.
PlayStation 4 Slim
July 18, 2025
Very much delivering what its name advertises, the PS4 Slim is, ultimately, just a smaller version of the base console. Beyond that, this model comes with a few updates to coincide with advances in things like USBs and Bluetooth. Honestly, the biggest changes happened in April 2017 when the 1 TB PS4 Slim became the norm, offering a substantial boost in space for a still decent price.
PlayStation 4 Pro
May 19, 2025
Somewhat overshadowing the Slim iteration, the PS4 Pro was Sony’s first attempt to provide a notable mid-generation upgrade, something that has now beenrepeated with the PS5. While not a game-changing leap, the Pro iteration offered an improved CPU and GPU that could support some 4K output, along with just being able to better run PS VR games. Honestly, the latter was probably one of the biggest reasons that the PS4 Pro became a reality.
