The big picture: The PlayStation 5 is the fastest-selling console in Sony Interactive Entertainment's history, having reached 10 million units sold just eight months after launch. For those keeping record, that's roughly one month faster than the PlayStation 4 - and it all happened during a global pandemic.
As of July 18, 2021, SIE has sold more than 10 million PlayStation 5 consoles worldwide. Had the global pandemic not hampered the supply chain and changed how many major retailers do business, resulting in a market that's ripe for scalpers, Sony might have reached the milestone even sooner.
For reference, it took roughly nine months for Sony to sell its first 10 million PlayStation 4 consoles.
Sony launched the PlayStation 5 on November 12, 2020, just two days after Microsoft dropped its new Xbox Series X and Series S consoles. The digital edition starts at $399 while the base model with an optical drive commands $499. Pre-orders for the PS5 sold out in less than 24 hours, and the console has remained a hot commodity ever since.
Given the perfect storm of bots / scalpers / the pandemic, it's been incredibly difficult to find a next-gen console in the wild. A quick check over on eBay reveals that PlayStation 5s are still commanding anywhere between $700-$900. It is possible to beat the scalpers, but you'll need a solid strategy and / or a good bit of luck.
Image credit Girts Ragelis, iStock.com