All PlayStation Console Generations & Handhelds in Order of Release

Over the years, Sony has released several PlayStation console generations and handhelds to give gamers around the world the best gaming experience. But exactly how many such consoles has the company released? In this article, we see a list of all the PlayStation consoles in order of their release!

While Sony might not have laid the foundation blocks of modern gaming, it certainly did revolutionize the entire industry.

In 1994, Sony launched the PlayStation, its first-ever gaming console, marking its foray into the gaming industry. This gaming console brought revolutionary graphics, absorbing gameplay, and a distinctive experience.

Over the years, Sony has introduced many home consoles and handhelds, and each of them has been massively successful. It’s no wonder that the brand is now synonymous with the word “gaming.”

In this article, we’ll have a look at all the PlayStations console generations in order, including all the handheld consoles released by the company!

All PlayStation Console Generations & Handhelds in Order:

In this comprehensive listicle, we’re going to take a step back in the history of gaming and witness all the PlayStation consoles that have launched so far. But before going into a detailed review, here’s a quick glance at all the generations, along with when they were released:

All PlayStation Consoles in Order:

1. PlayStation (1994)

• Release date: December 3, 1994
• Discontinued on: 2006
• Launch price: $299

The original PlayStation was launched way back in 1994. With the launch of this console, Sony disrupted the entire video game history. It was the moment when only two video game companies were relevant, namely Nintendo and Sega.

For those who’re unaware, Nintendo was very much responsible for the inception of PlayStation. Nintendo and Sony collaborated to bring a Super Famicom with a CD-ROM add-on dubbed SNES-CD (or PlayStation). It makes sense because Sony was a pioneer in CD-ROM technology then. However, the collaboration never came to fruition due to various issues and disagreements between the companies.

Sony decided to work on the idea and develop PlayStation to rival Nintendo. That’s how a gaming console was born that went on to revolutionize the entire industry. PlayStation remained a massive success for a whopping 12 years and managed to sell more than 100 million units, becoming the first console to cross that sales figure.

2. PlayStation 2 (2000)

• Release date: March 4, 2000
• Discontinued on: 2013
• Launch price: $299

With the PlayStation 2, Sony revamped the entire design of the product. The second generation of PlayStation has a tall footprint with side wings on the bottom acting as the base.

Thanks to the design, PS2 can stand on its side or lie flat, which was quite a good decision ergonomically. To follow up on the immense success of the original PlayStation, Sony decided to add many new features to the console.

For instance, Sony added the support for DVDs to enhance multimedia even more. As a result, Sony PS2 could also act as a media player, allowing you to watch movies while also playing games on the same console. Sony kept the backward compatibility with the PS1 games, and it made sense considering how massive PS1 sales were.

Sony also added broadband and dial-up connectivity, allowing you to play games online. On the controller front, Sony added pressure-sensitive face buttons, which improved the gaming experience even more.

However, PlayStation 2 lagged behind its competitors, with Xbox delivering much better graphics capability. Despite these shortcomings, PlayStation 2 was still the company’s best-selling console ever.

3. PS One (2000)

• Release date: July 7, 2000
• Discontinued on: 2006
• Launch price: $299

PlayStation One, or PS One, was a smaller version of the original PlayStation, launched some months after the PlayStation 2. It had a low footprint, and as a result, it became the highest-selling console of 2000.

Later, Sony brought two add-ons for this console, namely an attachable 5-inch LCD screen and a car cigarette lighter adapter. Both the add-ons were catering to gaming during travel scenarios.

Amusingly, PS One was alone enough to outsell the first-generation Xbox by about 4 million units. It is one of the few gaming consoles that was an instant hit right away. On the hardware front, everything remained the same as the original console.

4. PlayStation 2 Slim (2003)

• Release date: October 29, 2003
• Discontinued on: 2013
• Launch price: $149

As expected, Sony went on later to introduce a slimline version of the PS2. It was dubbed PlayStation 2 Slim, and it had a slimmer and sleeker profile and could only lie down flat on the surface.

If you want to make your gaming console look even better, you can decorate it with die-cut stickers. You can customize your favorite game character stickers to decorate your gamepad. This will increase your gaming experience and make it more exciting. You can also decorate your computer with die-cut stickers, which is also a great option.

To compensate for the slim design, Sony removed the HDD expansion slot and replaced the front-loading disc driver with the top-loading one.

Apart from these visual changes, PlayStation 2 Slim was identical to the original PS2. It had the same hardware, with the same level of graphics and performance capabilities. Surprisingly, the demand for PS2 Slim was higher than expected, and as a result, the company faced issues with the supply.

The entire PS2 console lineup would continue to go on and remain popular for about 12 years. That’s when Sony discontinued the lineup to make way for the third generation of PlayStations.

5. PlayStation 3 (2006)

• Release date: November 11, 2006
• Discontinued on: 2016
• Launch price: $499

Sony PlayStation 3 was directly competing with Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. Microsoft had already carved out a space in the gaming industry by offering much better performance. To continue dominating the space, Sony implemented a new media format called Blu-ray Disc. Sony also introduced the PlayStation Network, a social gaming service.

PlayStation 3 also had remote connectivity, allowing you to control the console from PSP and PS Vita. As expected, PS3 also worked as a media player while supporting built-in browsers and various apps.

Even with all these features combined, the console didn’t perform as expected. Microsoft swooped in with its Xbox 360, which offered a much better online experience while also offering similar performance. It was the first time that Sony faced difficulty in making its product profitable and selling high units right out of the gate.

6. PlayStation 3 Slim (2009)

• Release date: September 1, 2009
• Discontinued on: 2016
• Launch price: $299

At this point, Sony made it a trend to launch two versions of the consoles in a generation. Sony PlayStation 3 Slim was launched to offer a slimmer and more affordable alternative to the PS3.

With PS3 Slim, the company removed the support for backward compatibility. Thanks to the improved processor, the console offered a better cooling system with quieter noise levels.

The console was available in multiple storage options, from 120GB to 320GB capacity. Even with a few improvements, Sony reduced the price tag, and as a result, the console did pretty well in the market. Once again, we’re looking at the same hardware offering the same level of performance and capabilities as its predecessor.

7. PlayStation 3 Super Slim (2012)

• Release date: September 25, 2012
• Discontinued on: 2016
• Launch price: $270

This entry in the PlayStation console generations was a surprise as Sony released yet another slimmer version and dubbed it PlayStation 3 Super Slim.

The company managed to make this version 20% smaller and 25% lighter than the PS3 Slim. Sony could do this by removing the disc-loading design in favor of a non-motorized sliding disc cover.

Sony improved the cooling system even more and made the whole console much quieter. To top things off, it even reduced the price tag to $270. Sony PS3 Super Slim was available as a bundle package with Assassin’s Creed III and Uncharted 3.

8. PlayStation 4 (2013)

• Release date: November 15, 2013
• Launch price: $399

Sony learned its lesson from the difficulties it faced with the PS3 console. While the company was able to keep the console profitable by launching newer variants, it was time for a new generation.

Sony released PlayStation 4 with an aggressive $399 price tag in 2013. Unlike PS3, Sony decided to use conventional hardware, allowing developers to make it a successful console.

Sony opted for AMD APU and improved memory capacity. With this new choice of hardware, Sony was able to dominate the Xbox One in terms of graphics and performance. Sony PS4 received some classic and impressive titles, such as Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of  War, Spider-Man, and more.

Sadly, Sony removed the backward compatibility, which was something we saw happening with only Slim models. There were notable improvements in the controller front with the new DualShock 4 featuring a trackpad, a light strip, and a “Share” button.

With the PlayStation 4, Sony was able to bring itself back on the map with the pre-launch demand exceeding the initial expectations.

9. PlayStation 4 Slim (2016)

• Release date: September 15, 2016
• Discontinued on: 2020
• Launch price: $299

After three years of the launch of the PS4, Sony released the PS4 Slim with a 40% smaller footprint. PlayStation 4 Slim looked quite sleek and modern and might be the best-looking Slim PlayStation launched so far. It was launched with a matte black finish that appealed to consumers more than the original dual-tone offering.

Sony updated the front USB ports to USB 3.1 and removed the optical port. Hardware-wise, PS4 Slim delivered the same level of capabilities as its predecessor. As a result, gamers who were looking for a console with less weight would choose PS4 Slim over the original PS4.

Further down the road, Sony introduced a White color version of the PS4 Slim, which also sold quite well.

10. PlayStation 4 Pro (2016)

• Release date: November 10, 2016
• Launch price: $399

Right after the launch of PS4 Slim, Sony introduced the improved PlayStation 4 Pro. This was the first time Sony released a Pro variant of the existing console. This improved offering had a higher CPU clock rate and a more powerful GPU. Thanks to the powerful hardware, Sony was able to offer 4K rendering.

Sony also improved DualShock 4 controllers by adding a light bar on the touchpad. This feature came in handy, allowing gamers to see which player they are by the color options.

All in all, Sony brought upgraded hardware, 4K rendering support, better VR performance, and much more. It is worth noting that 4K rendering is not equivalent to the 4K resolution that Microsoft was offering at that time.

At the time of writing this, Sony has discontinued the PS4 Slim, while the original PS4 and PS4 Pro are still available for purchase.

11. PlayStation 5 (2020)

• Release date: November 12, 2020
• Launch price: starts from $399

Sony PlayStation 5 is the company’s latest offering in the home gaming console segment. The fifth generation of consoles pushed the gaming console to new heights. Sony improved almost every single aspect of the console with its latest generation.

Underneath the new modern and over-the-top design, the PS5 is powered by an improved AMD Zen 2 GPU with RNDA2 graphics. Both of these, when combined, deliver an exceptional gaming performance.

To top things off, we’re also looking at a massive 16GB GDDR6 RAM. The most significant upgrade would be the super-fast custom NVMe M.2 SSD that would bring forward super low loading times and a snappy user experience. Sony introduced Tempest Engine, bringing more immersive audio effects to headphones.

Hold your horses as PS5 also brings another major improvement, i.e., hardware-based ray tracing, which was something limited to only PC gaming before. For the first time, Sony was able to offer a native 4K gameplay experience.

Sony also introduced new sets of controllers, which are now called DualSense Controllers. It comes with shoulder triggers that are capable of simulating resistance. Sony improved haptic feedback, allowing you to feel even minor things, such as the pitter-patter of rain.

As of now, the Sony PS5 comes in two variants: a Disc Edition and a Digital Edition!

It won’t be wrong to say that Sony’s PlayStation 5 has pushed forward the gaming industry by offering impressive capabilities thanks to the improved hardware. This will also force its competitors to develop more cutting-edge gaming consoles, which means we will be spoilt for options and ultimately get the best gaming experience!

All PlayStation Handheld Consoles in Order:

Unlike Microsoft, Sony has also released a few handheld consoles, which worked pretty well in the gaming market. Let’s take a look at each one of them.

1. PlayStation Portable (2004)

• Release date: December 12, 2004
• Discontinued on: 2014
• Launch price: $249.99

In 2004, Sony released its first-ever handheld console and marked its foray into this segment. It all started with the PlayStation Portable console, aka the PSP.

With the PSP, Sony wanted to dominate its presence in the handheld segment as well. At that time, Nintendo was already pushing the market forward with GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS.

Surprisingly, Sony PSP was able to go head-to-head with Nintendo’s offering. It was all due to the massive support from third-party developers. The PSP came with a better form factor and better graphics capabilities. It also had another strong advantage, which was the remote connectivity to PS home consoles. As a result, gamers could connect PSP to PS2, PS4, and even a computer.

PlayStation Portable saw massive sales figures of around 82 million, which was huge for the handheld console market!

2. PlayStation Vita (2011)

• Release date: December 17, 2011
• Discontinued on: 2019
• Launch price: $249.99

After the immense success of the PSP, Sony decided to follow up with its new offering called PlayStation Vita. Sony improved the handheld console by adding a larger touchscreen, solo-analog stick, and slimmer profile.

PS Vita came with a 5-inch multi-touch capacitive touchpad and better connectivity features such as Bluetooth, WiFi, and optional 3G as well.

While PS Vita looked quite better, and the on-paper specifications looked impressive, it did not enjoy any massive success. It was the downfall of the company’s handheld segment, and since then, Sony has not released any new handheld console. Since PS Vita didn’t attract gamers, the developers slowly stopped supporting the console.

As a result, PS Vita was able to sell only 16 million units for its entire lifespan of eight years, which is underwhelmingly low. It is also worth noting that this sales figure also includes PS Vita Slim.

3. PlayStation Portable (2023)

After over a decade, Sony is finally getting back into the handheld consoles segment with the release of PlayStation Portable, which aims to bring PS5 games on a handheld device.

However, unlike the previous handhelds released by Sony, the PlayStation Portable won’t be capable of playing games on its own. It’s just an extension to a PlayStation 5 and needs the console to run games. You need to have a PS5 to use the PlayStation Portable, as the handheld only works in close vicinity of the console.

Conclusion

With this, we’ve now come to the conclusion of our history of PlayStation consoles. Sony has come a long way in the gaming segment. Right from the beginning, the company was able to dominate the entire modern gaming industry. The newly launched PS5 further solidified this status for the coming years.

With exclusive tie-ups to various popular games, Sony managed to keep its console offering relevant for many years to come. Of course, another factor for this was the impressive capabilities, massive game catalog, and impressive developer support.

If you are a fan of the console and wanted to know about all the PlayStation console generations in order, including the handhelds, this article must have surely helped you. If that’s the case, make sure to share it with your gamer friends, too!