Five Years of Play: The Evolution of PlayStation 5

Five years ago, in November 2020, PlayStation 5 marked a new era of speed, immersion, and creativity. As we celebrate its fifth anniversary, we’re looking back at how PS5 has evolved – year by year – through system software updates, new accessories, and community milestones that continue to redefine play.

2020: The beginning of a new generation

The PS5’s launch in November 2020 redefined what a console could do. Powered by an ultra-high-speed SSD, immersive 3D Audio, and the innovative DualSense wireless controller, PS5 introduced a new generation of immersion never felt before in gaming.

  • Share Screen debuted, allowing players to watch friends’ gameplay in real time via PS5 and later on the PS App. Since launch, Share Screen has been used more than 1.6 billion times, totaling over 900 million hours. Top shared titles include Fortnite, Roblox, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and Grand Theft Auto V.
  • Accessibility has been at the heart of PS5 since day one. The console launched with 11 accessibility features, which has grown to 20 by 2025 – including new additions such as Accessibility Tags and Second Controller for Assistance. One out of every four PS5 users have enabled at least one of these accessibility features.
  • Every PS5 console and accessory features microtextured PlayStation shapes – on DualSense alone, there are 45,674 tiny triangles, circles, crosses, and squares.

2021: Expanding the experience

As the PS5 player base grew, so did the platform’s capabilities. 2021 focused on updates that expanded social connectivity and storage options:

  • The first major PS5 system update added Cross-generation Share Play, enabling PS5 players with PlayStation Plus membership to virtually ‘pass the controller’ to friends using PS4. Since launch, Share Play has been used over 700 million times on PS5.
  • M.2 SSD storage expansion gave players freedom to grow their libraries. The use of an industry-standard M.2 format provided a flexible and cost-efficient way to expand PS5 storage, and the feature has since been adopted by millions of players.
  • We also added the ability to share PS5 game captures through the PlayStation App, resulting in 5.6 billion captures uploaded. Today, nearly half of PlayStation messages are sent from the PS App, with more than 1 billion voice chat sessions taking place through the app.
  • 2021 also introduced PS5’s first color variations – Midnight Black and Cosmic Red, giving players more ways to customize their console and accessories in their favorite color.

2022: More Options, More Ways to Play

In 2022, PS5 evolved further to deliver a richer and more personalized play experience.

  • VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) enhanced visual performance by minimizing visual artifacts for smoother, crisper gameplay. Millions of players have enabled the feature, with 96% of those with VRR-compatible monitors using it regularly.
  • This was also the year PlayStation Plus introduced a new three-tier service, offering hundreds of games in the Game Catalog for Extra members and Deluxe/Premium members, as well as access to a Classic Game catalog for Premium members. Since launch, the number of unique catalog players has doubled, and the total gameplay hours for Game Catalog and Classic Catalog has also increased – cumulatively hitting 14 billion hours.
  • PS5 personalization expanded further with new galaxy-inspired color variations: Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple.

2023: Pushing the boundaries of play with new accessories

2023 was a year of more breakthrough hardware and innovation.

  • PlayStation VR2 launched, introducing next-generation immersion with eye tracking, headset feedback and deep immersion with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers through PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller.
  • Discord voice chat arrived on PS5, connecting players across platforms. Since launch, more than 1 billion Discord voice chat sessions have taken place on PS5, averaging 105 minutes per session.
  • PlayStation Portal remote player redefined remote play, now accounting for over 50% of all PS5 Remote Play sessions – surpassing streams through mobile, PC, PS4 and PS5 consoles combined.
  • We also introduced DualSense Edge wireless controller – our first high-performance, ultra-customizable controller – and the Access Controller, a controller kit designed to make gaming more accessible for all.
  • Cloud Streaming access for PS5 games brought new options for PlayStation Plus Premium members to stream supported PS5 digital games from Game Catalog, Game Trials and purchases from PS Store on their PS5 console.
  • Additionally, we released a new line of audio products featuring planar magnetic drivers and our innovative PlayStation Link technology that provides lightning-fast, lossless audio connection with Pulse Explore wireless ear buds, followed by Pulse Elite wireless headset in early 2024.

2024: Empowering players and communities

In 2024, PS5 deepened community connection and personalization.

  • Community Game Help debuted, enabling players to share gameplay hint videos generated from opt-in contributors. The feature is now available across hundreds of PS5 titles, with thousands of helpful community hints contributed by players around the world.
  • The new Welcome Hub introduced a personalized PS5 home screen space with customizable widgets and backgrounds. Customization has been rising since launch, with the battery widget emerging as the most popular, and personal gameplay screenshots becoming the top background choice among players.
  • This was also the year we launched the PS5 Pro – our most visually impressive and innovative console to date, along with the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection, celebrating 30 incredible years of play and creativity.

 

2025: Five years of play

Happy 5th Anniversary, PS5! As we celebrate five years of the amazing journey, the numbers tell the story:

  • PS5 has cumulatively sold over 84 million units globally. If you lined up every PS5 ever sold, together they’d stretch over 28,600 kilometers – long enough to go from Tokyo to San Francisco to London, and then all the way back home again.
  • More than 7,500 PS5 games have been published by over 4,000 creators around the world. By total playtime, the top three most-played PS5 multiplayer games were Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare II and the top three PS5 most-played single-player games were Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, God of War Ragnarök and Hogwarts Legacy.
  • Players have earned a combined 40 billion Trophies on PS5, including 110 million Platinum Trophies.
  • Across five years, PS5 players have logged a total of 100 billion hours of gameplay.

Five years on, the PS5 platform continues to evolve and connect more players than ever. From the day it launched to today, PS5 has redefined what play can mean for creators and the community alike.

Here’s to five incredible years of play – and to the millions of players who made them unforgettable!

*All figures are based on internal data collected as of September 2025.

PlayStation Plus November Game Line-up Confirmed, Includes GTA 5

November’s list of PlayStation Plus Game Catalog titles has been confirmed by Sony and, as expected, it includes a welcome return for Grand Theft Auto 5.

Just in case you’re one of the few people that doesn’t already own Rockstar’s open-world epic already, the game is once again part of PlayStation Plus for the month of November. It’s a timely addition, too, and almost like publisher Take-Two knew it was about to once again delay Grand Theft Auto 6, which will now launch on November 19, 2026.
A bumper month of other additions also includes enjoyably creepy Scottish oil rig horror game Still Wakes the Deep, made by Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture studio The Chinese Room, and the critically-acclaimed first-person automobile-based survival game Pacific Drive.

Also included are brain-teasing first-person puzzler The Talos Principle 2, and delightfully British comedy platformer Thank Goodness You’re Here! Both of those are well worth a look. Other titles this month include multiplayer shooter Insurgency: Sandstorm, arcade truck demolisher Monster Jam Showdown, and yet more cars in MotoGP 25.

If you’re a PlayStation Plus Premium subscriber, you’ll also gain access to the Tomb Raider: Anniversary collection, which emulates the PS2 version of the original Tomb Raider title. Here’s the full list of everything available:

PlayStation Plus November 2025 Games

PlayStation Plus Extra:

PlayStation Plus Premium:

So, anything take your fancy?

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

If you hate the term extraction shooter, Marathon’s former product manager is on your side

With as young a medium as games is (and it is young, as old as we all might feel), it’s no surprise that it would burgeon new genres, and that said genres would be called into question. Metroidvanias! That’s a potentially silly one, with a common argument being that it tells you nothing about the genre itself. I prefer Japan’s search action as a name myself, though I am but one humble games journalist. A genre I hadn’t called into question until today, however, is extraction shooter, a name that a former Bungie lead apparently disliked so much he tried to get the studio’s marketing team to make something else up for Marathon.

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‘Keep Your Ear to the Ground’ – Battlefield 6 Devs Hear the Cries for Battle Royale Solo Queue in REDSEC

Battlefield Studios is telling Battlefield 6 players to “keep your ear to the ground” when it comes to a battle royale solo queue option for REDSEC.

We spoke with the Battlefield team to learn more about REDSEC and its battle royale, Gauntlet, and Portal modes earlier this week. During our chat, we asked if solo battle royale fans will ever be able to drop into Fort Lyndon without grouping up with others. Design director Justin Wiebe stopped short of confirming whether additional queue options are on the way, but he does want fans to know the BF Studios team is listening.

“I would say keep your ear to the ground on the future of solos,” Wiebe told us.

Battlefield REDSEC was met with a review-bombing campaign upon its launch late last month as disgruntled Battlefield 6 players gathered to ask for various changes, including a solo battle royale queue. It’s true the Battlefield battle royale offshoot launched without an option for single-player-minded fans, but Wiebe says adding solos into a squad-based shooter isn’t as easy as it seems.

“In my mind, that’s not something you just turn on and just say, ‘OK, solos,’” he said. “There needs to be enough thought put into it because we built a squad-based experience. At its foundation, the game was designed for squads to play together, with each of them having tactical abilities and options, and training paths that unlock new perks. A lot of those perks are very oriented towards helping the squad, not helping the individual.”

I would say keep your ear to the ground on the future of solos.

Wiebe continued: “If we were just to throw that out and say, ‘Well, now you can just play solos, and you’re unlocking these abilities that don’t even matter to you,’ that feels like a fail.”

Battlefield 6 and REDSEC are designed around four primary classes: Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon. Aside from a few tweaks between some modes, each can bring everything from quick revives to vehicle repairs to a gunfight. Even vehicles themselves are typically in better care with more than one player behind the wheel.

These are the kinds of mechanics BF Studios is considering when holding off on solos for battle royale in REDSEC. Still, it sounds like the option is far from off the table. Should players be allowed to queue up without teammates in battle royale, Wiebe tells fans they would need to launch “with the right abilities and training paths.”

“If we were going to launch something like solos,” he added, “we want to do it in a way that makes sense for players, that actually takes the mechanics and makes them work for making solos play better.”

Battlefield 6 launched October 10 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. REDSEC followed closely behind with its launch for the same platforms arriving October 28, just weeks later. Despite initial review-bombing efforts bringing the free-to-play branch down to “Mostly Negative” Steam ratings, it has since bounced back slightly, now sitting at “Mixed” across the board.

We gave REDSEC a 7/10. In our review, we said, “Battlefield REDSEC offers an uninspired battle royale mode that dilutes what makes Battlefield 6’s regular multiplayer so much fun, but its Gauntlet option instead concentrates that formula into one of the coolest game modes I’ve seen from a military shooter.”

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

I learned Tai Chi from a bear in Where Winds Meet

Back in my university days, a few friends and I played Yulgang Online, also known as Scions of Fate. An early 2000s Korean MMORPG with a Chinese martial arts theme, Yulgang was one of dozens of free MMOs we dabbled in. While we never got beyond the “kill X number of things to level up” grind, it was novel to run around in a wuxia-themed world, which was a rarity in localised-into-English PC gaming back then.

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Best Buy Has Slashed the Price of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 to $20 Before Black Friday

If playing through Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater this year had you itching to revisit the original, now’s your chance to do so (if you don’t already own it) at a discounted price.

Early Black Friday sales have arrived, and among Best Buy‘s is an excellent deal on the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 for PS5 and Nintendo Switch that’s dropped it down to just $19.99.

This discount saves you $20 on its usual price of $39.99, so if you’ve had this collection in your sights, now is the time to make your move on it.

Unfortunately, the Xbox Series X version appears to be sold out at Best Buy right now, but we’re keeping an eye on it to see if it comes back in stock as we get closer to Black Friday’s official kick-off. For PS5 and Switch owners, though, you’re in for a real treat with this collection.

Not only will you get Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but you’ll get its predecessors – Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty – as well.

That’s not all, though. It also comes with Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear (NES/FC version), and Snake’s Revenge, alongside some bonuses like a screenplay book and master book of the stories and characters to dig into.

Black Friday is only a couple of weeks away now, so we’re keeping an eye out for even more video game deals like this one that pop up in the lead-up to it.

If you’re curious when the sale event officially starts, and which retailers will be joining in on the fun this year, check out our full breakdown of Black Friday 2025 to learn more about this year’s sale.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Arc Raiders celebrates the launch of a new region in the North Line update with microtransaction price cuts

Doings are afoot in the retrofuture scrapmetal world of Arc Raiders. Developers Embark have announced that a major new update called North Line will roll out tomorrow, 13th November at 1.30am PT, 4.30am ET, 9.30am GMT and 10.30am CET. It’ll add Stella Montis, a region beyond the Rust Belt that is described as “cold, pristine, and filled with the remnants of humanity’s lost ambitions.” I am picturing a landscape awash with Betamax cassettes, Bored Apes and Soviet space shuttles, where Raiders pick through old branches of Toys R Us.

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Super Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer Reveals Rosalina, Bowser Jr., And More

Out of this world.

Nintendo and Illumination have revealed the first proper trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s a galactic banger.

We get our first look at Bowser Jr. and Rosaline, plus a whole bunch of new locations based on Super Mario Galaxy and… Odyssey? Yep, there’s representation from both games here.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Backbone Pro​ -​ Xbox Edition: Take Your Gaming Anywhere

Backbone Pro Xbox Edition Hero Image

Backbone Pro​ -​ Xbox Edition: Take Your Gaming Anywhere

Earlier this year, Designed for Xbox​ and​ our friends at Backbone launched ​the​​ ​Backbone One – Xbox Edition. Now they are back with ​their next generation controller, redesigned from the ground ​up to let​ you access your favorite games on mobile, PC, smart TV, and beyond.

Meet the Backbone Pro – Xbox Edition, a great gaming experience, now designed for almost any screen you own, whether you’re on your phone, tablet, PC, TV, or streaming device.  Every detail, from the precise placement of the full-size thumbsticks to the laser-etched grips and Hall Effect triggers, is the result of relentless optimization.

Backbone Pro offers two ways to play: Handheld Mode, where your phone is physically connected via USB-C for low latency and no charging required; and Wireless Mode, connecting via Bluetooth Low Energy for gaming from a distance.

Backbone Pro – Xbox Edition Features 

  • Play Anywhere: Built-in battery, USB-C, and Bluetooth​ Low Energy​ unlock gaming across ​​devices.  
  • Pro-Grade Control: Full-size ALPS thumbsticks, ​laser-etched ​textured grips, Hall Effect triggers, and rear buttons for precision and comfort.  
  • Jump Into Xbox Cloud Gaming and Remote Play:​​ Includes one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to explore a growing library of games.    

Seamless Play with the Backbone App  

​​Personalize your play with custom profiles, button remapping, and effortless device switching – all within the Backbone App. Switching between phone, PC, and TV is simple, with FlowState – just a tap moves your controller from screen to screen. The Backbone App also supports Apple Arcade, Steam Link, and other controller-friendly mobile titles, so you have gaming options in addition to Xbox. ​​​​​ 

Backbone Pro vs. Backbone One  

Not sure which controller to snag? Here’s an overview of both controllers at a glance: 

  • Backbone Pro – Xbox Edition: ​​All-new​​​​ ergonomic design for comfort and precision, Bluetooth and hardwired play, full-size ALPS sticks, Hall Effect triggers, two customizable back buttons, profiles and remapping, and built in battery.    
  • Backbone One – Xbox Edition: Ultra-mobile, hardwired plug-in design optimized for portability, classic inputs, and quick jump into the Xbox app on your mobile device, to access features including Xbox Cloud Gaming and Remote Play with the Xbox button. Compatible with USB-C devices only. 

Available Now

The Backbone Pro Xbox Edition launches today. It’s available for $179.99 USD ERP through Backbone.comxbox.com, and Amazon, with Best Buy floor placement in the US beginning November 30. Worldwide shipping is supported.

The post Backbone Pro​ -​ Xbox Edition: Take Your Gaming Anywhere appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Arc Raiders Dev Drops Cosmetic Prices, Offers Refunds, and Reveals It ‘Silently’ Enabled Duo Prioritized Matchmaking

Surprise! Arc Raiders is cutting the prices of its store cosmetics, and will refund anyone who snapped them up before the new price goes into effect tomorrow, November 13.

In an update on the official Arc Raiders website, developer Embark Studios said it has “heard [player] feedback,” writing: “We’ve reviewed our prices and made adjustments to lower prices where applicable.” Revised prices go live tomorrow, November 13, at 1.30am PT / 4.30am ET / 9.30am GMT).

“For any Raider who has already made a purchase on the old pricing, we’ll compensate you for the difference. These Raider Tokens will be refunded back into your account automatically in the coming week.”

The team stopped short of revealing the new prices, or how big the discounts will be. Nonetheless, it should be good news for players, some of whom have been unhappy at the costs, complaining that the premium skins cost “half [the] price of the game” itself.

That’s not the only big news we’ve had today, either. Embark also confirmed it has been “silently testing” duo matchmaking and has indeed enabled it earlier this week.

“We have silently tested and enabled duo prioritized matchmaking, beginning earlier this week,” the team explained. “Duo matchmaking will work like this: first, we prioritize Solos and Squads to play separately. After that, we prioritize Duos to play with other Duos, and for Trios to play with Trios. Please note that this is not a 100% guaranteed system, so you may at times run into differing constellations of players other than your own.”

Finally, while there’s currently one free Raider Deck available for all, in the future players will see both free and premium decks. As the team explained, gameplay Items are only in free Raider Decks, but to “help you along the way as a new Raider, we have included some gameplay Items in the free Raider Deck, which can be unlocked via progression.”

There are also “no pay-to-win items in the premium Raider Decks,” Embark insisted, saying the “focus” for premium Decks is based on “cosmetics and convenience.”

Don’t forget that Arc Raiders’ first major update, North Line, launches tomorrow, November 13. The new update introduces a whole new region north of the Rust Belt called Stella Montis, described as “cold, pristine, and filled with the remnants of humanity’s lost ambitions.” It’ll introduce a whole new region, new community unlock event, two new ARCs — Matriarch and Shredder – as well as new weapons, playstyles, and quests. The next update, Cold Snap, arrives this December.

“Arc Raiders raises the bar for extraction shooters pretty much across the board, with an incredibly gripping progression grind, tense fights against NPCs and other players that make for memorable matches, and loot that feels completely worth all the work and stress it takes to obtain it,” we wrote in IGN’s Arc Raiders review, which returned an ‘Amazing’ 9/10.

We’re not the only ones who are having a good time with it, despite the controversy around its use of AI. Arc Raiders has now sold over 4 million copies worldwide less than two weeks since its release date, cementing its commercial success. Nexon also revealed that the extraction shooter had reached a huge concurrent count of 700,000 players across all platforms.

If this has tempted you into jumping into Arc Raiders, check out our guide to the best settings, find out what skills we recommend unlocking first, and see how to earn loot by delivering field depot crates.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.