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PlayStation 5 hit its best-ever sales quarter with 9.5 million units sold during the holiday of 2024, pushing total lifetime sales past 75 million consoles.
The gaming console’s success pushed the company to raise its yearly profit forecast to ¥1.34 trillion ($8.7 billion).
Sony’s gaming division saw a 16% jump in revenue to ¥1.6 trillion ($10.4 billion) between October and December 2024. The company credited two games for this success: the family-oriented Astro Bot and the multiplayer hit Helldivers 2.
“We saw momentum that went beyond our expectations,” said Hiroki Totoki, Sony’s Chief Operating Officer, who will become CEO in April 2025. He noted that “high-quality third-party soft titles created synergy effects” in driving overall sales.
The PS5’s success nearly matches its predecessor’s pace, trailing the PS4 by just 1.5 million units at the same point in its lifecycle. Sony has shipped 15.7 million PS5 consoles this fiscal year and aims to reach 18 million by March’s end.
PlayStation Network reached 129 million monthly active users by December 2024, setting a new record. About 42% of PS5 buyers in the last quarter were first-time PlayStation owners.
Digital game purchases make up 74% of all PlayStation software sales, up from 66% last year. PlayStation Plus subscription revenue also grew 20% compared to 2023, showing players’ increasing preference for digital content.
Sony’s gaming success comes at a crucial time. Their film division faced difficulties after the 2023 Hollywood strikes delayed movie productions and releases throughout 2024.
The company’s music streaming business also grew while its imaging and sensing solutions segment remained stable.
Following Astro Bot’s success, Sony wants to expand its family game offerings. “In the next fiscal year, we plan to introduce strong titles and should see even stronger momentum,” Totoki said during a news conference.
Sony plans to build on this momentum with major game releases. Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei are scheduled to launch in 2025, alongside anticipated third-party titles like Grand Theft Auto 6.
