Sony lifts gaming forecast as PS5 sales near 100 million
Sony raises its full-year gaming forecast as cumulative PS5 sales reach 97.9 million, with services and software driving the quarter.
Sony has raised its full-year forecast for its Games and Network Services business after a strong second quarter, while cumulative PlayStation 5 sales moved to 97.9 million units. That leaves the console 2.1 million short of the 100 million milestone, according to Sony’s results materials.1
For the three months ended 30 September, the division reported revenue of ¥1.2085 trillion, up 9% year on year, and operating profit of ¥220.1 billion, up 83%. Sony attributed the growth to stronger network services, higher game-software sales and currency effects. The profit comparison also benefited from one-off costs recorded in the previous year, including impairment charges linked to Bungie and development-related expenses.2
What Sony changed
Sony now expects the gaming division to deliver ¥4.83 trillion in full-year revenue and ¥700 billion in operating profit. The revised outlook includes improved sales of third-party games, better costs and continued growth in network services. Digital downloads made up 78% of PS4 and PS5 software sales in the quarter, six points higher than a year earlier.1
PS5 hardware sales were 2.6 million units during the quarter, down 1.4 million year on year. Sony said higher memory costs remain a pressure, but price adjustments and cost reductions should keep hardware profitability broadly in line with the previous financial year. The company also said it has agreements with suppliers to secure the memory needed for its planned 2027 sales volume.2
The quarter included the September launch of Marvel’s Wolverine, which Sony said had passed 2.4 million copies sold. PS4 and PS5 software sales reached 88.2 million units, an increase of 7.9 million year on year.2
Sony also said development of its next-generation platform is progressing as planned and that investment will continue from the 2027 financial year onwards. It has not yet shared the platform’s name, hardware or launch plans, so the update is a progress note rather than a formal next-console announcement.1
Our opinion
The headline figure is the forecast upgrade, but the more revealing detail is the mix behind it. Services and digital sales are doing much of the heavy lifting while PS5 hardware momentum cools, which makes the approach to 100 million feel more like a measure of installed-base reach than a fresh sales surge. Sony’s next challenge is turning that enormous audience into a convincing case for its next platform without weakening the value of the PS5 ecosystem that is paying the bills today.