PS5 in 2026: Wolverine, Price Hikes, and the Road to 100 Million

The PlayStation 5 is entering its sixth year on the market. And 2026 is shaping up to be one of its most eventful years yet.

We have seen massive game announcements. We have seen price hikes that upset the community. We have seen the PS5 Pro get meaningful upgrades. And we are watching Sony march toward the 100 million units sold milestone.

Here is everything you need to know about PS5 in 2026.

Image: PS5 remains Sony's flagship console heading into the second half of 2026.

PS5 Sales: 93.7 Million and Counting

Let us start with the numbers. As of March 31, 2026, Sony has shipped 93.7 million PS5 units worldwide.

That is a massive number. But here is the catch — sales are slowing down.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 (January to March 2026), Sony shipped only 1.5 million PS5 units. That is a 46% drop compared to the same period last year, when they shipped 2.8 million units.

For the entire fiscal year 2025, PS5 shipments totaled 16 million units — down from 18.5 million in fiscal year 2024.

Sony is now in the back half of the PS5 console generation. A sales dip is expected. But there is another factor at play: price.

The Price Hike That Upset Everyone

In March 2026, Sony announced price increases for PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal. The changes took effect on April 2, 2026.

Here are the new U.S. prices:

• PS5 (Disc Edition): $649.99 (up from $499.99)
• PS5 Digital Edition: $599.99 (up from $449.99)
• PS5 Pro: $899.99 (up from $699.99)
• PlayStation Portal: $249.99

Sony cited "continued pressures in the global economic landscape" as the reason. The gaming community was not happy. Comments on the announcement post were brutal.

But here is the irony. The price hikes came after the end of the fiscal year. So the sales slowdown cannot be blamed on them. In fact, the announcement may have actually boosted sales in the final days before the hike, as buyers rushed to get PS5 Pro units before the $150 increase.

Looking ahead, Sony plans to "base our PlayStation 5 hardware sales in fiscal year 2026 on the volume of memory we can procure at reasonable prices." In other words, component availability — not demand — will determine how many PS5 units Sony can sell.

PS5 Pro: The Enhanced Experience

The PS5 Pro launched in late 2024. But 2026 is the year it truly came into its own.

The Pro model delivers significant performance upgrades over the base PS5:

• PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution): AI-enhanced upscaling that delivers sharper, clearer 4K visuals.
• 60-120fps gameplay: Play compatible games at high frame rates with ray tracing enabled simultaneously.
• 2TB SSD storage: Double the storage of the base PS5.
• Wi-Fi 7 support: Lower latency and better stability for online gaming.
• 8,500+ PS4 games: Full backward compatibility with Game Boost for smoother performance.

The latest system software update (version 26.02-13.00.00) further enhanced PSSR on PS5 Pro. You can now enable "Enhanced PSSR Image Quality" in Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. This improves image stability even for games originally designed for the older PSSR model.

Image: 2026 is stacked with major PS5 exclusives and third-party blockbusters.

System Software Updates: What's New in 2026

Sony has been quietly improving the PS5 experience with regular system updates. Here are the key features added in 2026:

Welcome Hub Upgrades

You can now use Showcase Mode to display a full view of your Welcome Hub background when your PS5 is idle. There is also a Slideshow mode that rotates through images from an album.

Read Receipts

You can now turn on read receipts to show other players when you have read their messages. Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy to enable it.

Power Saver Mode

For supported PS5 games, you can now enable power saver mode to scale back performance and reduce power consumption.

Unicode 17.0 Emojis

New emojis are now supported in messages.

Serial Number Check

You can now check the serial number of your console and connected DualSense controllers directly from Settings.

The Games Lineup: 2026 Is Stacked

Now for the part everyone cares about — the games. 2026 is absolutely packed with major releases.

Marvel's Wolverine — Coming September 15

This is the big one. Insomniac Games' Marvel's Wolverine finally has a release date: September 15, 2026.

The State of Play June 2026 showcase gave us an extended gameplay trailer. The combat is faster and more brutal than Insomniac's Spider-Man games. Logan uses savage claw attacks, environmental takedowns, and stealth mechanics. Jean Grey plays a significant role in the story.

This is shaping up to be one of PlayStation's biggest exclusives ever.

God of War: Laufey — Faye Takes Center Stage

The surprise reveal of the State of Play. God of War: Laufey shifts the focus away from Kratos and Atreus. Instead, you play as Faye — Kratos' wife and Atreus' mother.

The game is set in the afterlife realm known as the Everywhen, inhabited by gods and creatures from multiple mythologies. Fast combat, aerial attacks, and soul-based abilities are featured.

No release date yet. But it is coming.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Hideo Kojima's sequel is one of the most anticipated PS5 exclusives.

Dune: Awakening — September 22

Funcom's survival game comes to PS5 on September 22, 2026. The console version adds a new single-player mode, a story chapter, and gameplay improvements.

Other Major Releases

• Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — July 9
• Control Resonant — September 24
• Phantom Blade 0 — September 9
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword — September 25
• Silent Hill Townfall — September 24
• Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve — October 2
• Rayman Legends Retold — October 1
• Fable — Autumn 2026 (first time on PlayStation)
• Lords of the Fallen II — 2026
• Castlevania: Belmont's Curse — 2026

Upcoming 2027 Titles

• Final Fantasy VII Revelation — 2027
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis — February 12, 2027
• Until Dawn 2 — 2027
• Kemuri — 2027
• Gundam Rogue Orbit — 2027

PS Plus and Digital Dominance

Here is another trend worth noting. Digital game sales now account for 85% of all PS5 and PS4 game purchases. That is up from 80% last year.

Physical discs are becoming a niche market.

PlayStation Network now has 125 million active users — up by 1 million from the previous year.

What's Next for PS5?

Sony is clearly in the second half of the PS5 generation. The PS6 is already being rumored.

But 2026 and early 2027 are still packed with major exclusives. Wolverine, God of War Laufey, Death Stranding 2, and Final Fantasy VII Revelation will keep the PS5 relevant for years to come.

The price hikes may hurt sales in the short term. But Sony is betting that the game lineup will justify the cost.

For now, the PS5 remains the most powerful console on the market — especially with the PS5 Pro's enhanced capabilities. And with over 93 million units sold, it is well on its way to joining the 100 million club.

Final Thoughts

2026 is a pivotal year for PS5. The hardware is mature. The game library is deep. The Pro model is delivering on its promise. And the future looks bright with Wolverine, Laufey, and more on the horizon.

The price hikes are frustrating. No one likes paying more. But if the games deliver, the value proposition remains strong.

Whether you are a day-one PS5 owner or someone waiting for the right moment to jump in — 2026 is the year to be a PlayStation gamer.

See you on the battlefield.

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