PlayStation 5 gross sales declined year-on-year throughout the essential vacation quarter, but it’s just about neck-and-neck with the PlayStation 4 at the identical level throughout its lifecycle, and it even outsold the Nintendo Switch 2 throughout the final three months of 2025.
Sony shifted one other 8 million PS5 models throughout the three months ending December 31, 2025, a decline from the 9.5 million PS5s it offered throughout the identical interval in 2024. But there are a variety of things at play right here. For a begin, 8 million gross sales isn’t too shabby when you think about the PS5 worth rises Sony put in place final yr (Sony raised the costs of the PS5, PS5 Digital Version, and PS5 Professional by $50 every in August). Then there’s the robust financial circumstances globally that’s placing stress on shopper spending typically to take care of.
And it’s additionally price noting that the PS5, which is now 5 years previous, really outsold the six month-old Nintendo Switch 2 throughout the vacation quarter. This week, Nintendo mentioned the Switch 2 offered round 7 million in the three-month interval. PS5 offered 1 million extra.
The PS5 has now offered 92.2 million models globally, which implies it’s nonetheless lagging ever so barely behind its predecessor, the PS4, at this level in every console’s lifecycle (PS4 had offered 94.4 million by now). But with the launch of assured console vendor GTA 6 coming in November, the PS5 will obtain a shot in the arm that will drive it to outselling the PS4 when the mud settles on each consoles.
And this is a enjoyable stat: the PS5 has now formally outsold the PS3. As talked about, PS5 has offered 92.2 million, and the PS3 managed 87.4 million lifetime gross sales (as of March 31, 2017). And whereas the PS5 has some technique to go earlier than matching the PS4’s 117 million lifetime gross sales, with the assist of GTA 6, it may finally beat it.
Talking throughout a webcast reviewed and transcribed by IGN following its monetary outcomes, Sony pointed to elevated monetization of its rising PS5 set up base in addition to rising software program gross sales as greater than making up for the decline in console gross sales. It pointed to the launch of Sucker Punch’s PS5 unique Ghost of Yotei, which made a “important contribution” to the quarter, in addition to ongoing income from Helldivers 2 and MLB The Present.
“FY25 Q3 gross sales decreased 4% year-on-year, primarily because of decrease {hardware} unit gross sales,” Lin Tao, Sony’s chief monetary officer, mentioned. “Working revenue elevated 19% year-on-year, primarily because of the constructive influence of overseas trade charges and the influence of elevated gross sales and community companies and first-party software program, setting a document for the third quarter on this section.
“We upwardly revised our FY25 gross sales forecast 4% from the earlier forecast to 4,630 billion yen, and our working revenue forecast 2% to 510 billion yen. Person engagement trended properly throughout the quarter with the variety of month-to-month lively customers throughout all of the PlayStation in December growing 2% in comparison with the final December to a document excessive of 132 million accounts. And whole play time for the quarter elevated 0.4% year-on-year.
“Though circumstances in the console {hardware} market throughout year-end promoting season had been more difficult than anticipated, we had been capable of steadily increase our PS5 set up base in step with our authentic plan and exceeded 92 million models on a cumulative promoting foundation.
“Whereas PS5 {hardware} unit gross sales have decreased reasonably in the latter half of the console cycle, software program income from the PlayStation Retailer reached a document excessive throughout the quarter, primarily pushed by the contribution of main third-party franchise titles and new hit releases. PlayStation Plus considerably contributed to the outcomes of the quarter as the shift to greater tiers of the service continued.”
Sony even waved away concern about potential additional PS5 worth rises because of the rising price of reminiscence fueled by the AI increase, insisting it’s already able to safe the minimal amount essential to handle the year-end promoting season of its subsequent fiscal yr.
“Going ahead, we intend to additional negotiate with varied suppliers to safe sufficient provide to satisfy the demand of our prospects,” Lin Tao continued. “Given the stage of our console cycle, our {hardware} gross sales technique might be adjusted flexibly and we intend to reduce the influence of the elevated reminiscence price on this section going ahead by prioritizing monetization of the set up base up to now and striving to additional increase our software program and community service income.”
Sony additionally namechecked Bungie’s stay service extraction shooter Marathon, which is due out in March after a major delay. It sounds comparatively assured in the recreation after it was retooled following damaging suggestions.
“We count on that Marathon, which is scheduled to be launched on March 5, can be loved by many customers because of Bungie having strengthened the gaming expertise,” Lin Tao mentioned. “Subsequent fiscal yr, we plan to launch new titles corresponding to Saros and Marvel’s Wolverine, and we intend to reinforce our effort to extend the income of our studio enterprise.”
Final month, an analyst report popping out of Japan urged that Sony could push the launch of the inevitable PlayStation 6 past 2028 and lengthen the PS5 lifecycle as a substitute.
David Gibson, senior analyst at MST worldwide who focuses on recreation and tech firms, revealed a Japanese language (*2*) forward of in the present day’s financials giving insights into the Sony Group’s present efficiency and potential subsequent strikes. “Sony expects the PS5 lifecycle to be longer than that of earlier console generations,” Gibson mentioned, including that that is more likely to push the PS6 launch again past earlier predictions. “There’s a excessive chance that the PS6 launch will happen after 2028.” If Gibson is correct, we can’t see the PS6 till 2029 at the earliest.
Gibson urged that Sony is extra centered on current PS5 customers than boosting console gross sales, one thing the newest feedback from Lin Tao now again up. Relating to PlayStation Community companies and lively PS5 customers, Gibson noticed that “PS5 consumer exercise continues to set all-time document highs in line with utilization knowledge. Sony is focusing extra on retaining lively customers than increasing {hardware} gross sales.”
Picture by Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto through Getty Photographs.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.