PS5 Sales Decline, but It’s Not Far Behind PS4 and It Even Outsold Nintendo Switch 2 During the Holiday Quarter

Though PlayStation 5 gross sales declined year-over-year throughout the necessary vacation quarter, they had been roughly on par with PlayStation 4 on the identical level in its lifecycle, and even surpassed Nintendo Change 2 within the last three months of 2025.

Sony bought a further 8 million PS5 items within the three months ending December 31, 2025, down from the 9.5 million PS5 items it bought in the identical interval in 2024. Nonetheless, there are various components at play right here. To begin with, 8 million items bought is not that horrible contemplating the value hike Sony carried out for the PS5 final 12 months (Sony elevated the costs of the PS5, PS5 Digital Version, and PS5 Professional by $50 every in August). As well as, there are difficult financial circumstances all over the world, that are placing strain on shopper spending generally to deal with them.

It is also value noting that the five-year-old PS5 really outsold the six-month-old Nintendo Change 2 throughout the vacation quarter. Nintendo introduced this week that the Change 2 had bought about 7 million items in three months. PS5 bought a further 1 million items.

The PS5 has now bought 92.2 million items worldwide, which implies it is nonetheless barely behind its predecessor, the PS4, at this level in every console’s lifecycle (PS4 has bought 94.4 million items thus far). Nonetheless, with the discharge of GTA 6, which is assured to be bought on consoles, in November, it’s potential that PS5 will outsell PS4 when the scenario for each consoles settles down.

And this is an fascinating statistic. PS5 has formally surpassed PS3. As talked about above, PS5 bought 92.2 million items, and PS3 had lifetime gross sales of 87.4 million items (as of March 31, 2017). The PS5 nonetheless has a protracted strategy to go to match the PS4’s lifetime gross sales of 117 million copies, however with the assistance of GTA 6, it may ultimately surpass it.

In a webcast reviewed and transcribed by videogameaddicted after the earnings name, Sony famous that elevated monetization of the PS5’s rising put in base and elevated software program gross sales greater than offset the decline in console gross sales. He pointed to the discharge of Sucker Punch’s PS5 unique Ghost of Yotei, which made a “vital contribution” to the quarter, in addition to continued income from Helldivers 2 and MLB The Present.

Sony Chief Monetary Officer Lin Tao stated, “Gross sales for the third quarter of FY2025 decreased 4% year-on-year, primarily resulting from decrease {hardware} unit gross sales.” “Working revenue elevated 19% year-over-year, setting a third-quarter report for the section, primarily resulting from favorable alternate charges and the influence of upper gross sales and community providers and proprietary software program.”

“We now have upwardly revised our fiscal 12 months 2025 gross sales forecast to 4.63 trillion yen, a rise of 4% from our earlier forecast, and our working revenue forecast to 510 billion yen, a rise of two%. The variety of month-to-month energetic customers throughout RAYS Station elevated by 2% from December of final 12 months to 132 million accounts, a report excessive.As well as, complete play time for the quarter elevated by 0.4% in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months.

“Though the console {hardware} market throughout the year-end gross sales season was harder than anticipated, we had been in a position to steadily develop the put in base of PS5 as initially deliberate, and cumulative gross sales exceeded 92 million items.

“Whereas PS5 {hardware} gross sales declined modestly within the second half of the console cycle, software program income from the PlayStation Retailer reached a report excessive throughout the quarter, primarily pushed by main third-party franchise titles and new hit releases. PlayStation Plus contributed considerably to our ends in the quarter because the service continued to maneuver up the tier.”

Sony even dispelled issues that the PS5’s worth may rise additional resulting from rising reminiscence costs as a result of AI ​​increase, insisting that it is able to safe the minimal amount wanted to outlive subsequent 12 months’s year-end gross sales season.

“Going ahead, we’ll additional negotiate with varied suppliers to make sure adequate provide to fulfill buyer demand,” Lin Tao continued. “Given our stage within the console cycle, we now have the pliability to regulate our {hardware} gross sales technique. We intend to attenuate the influence of reminiscence price will increase on this section going ahead by prioritizing monetization of our put in base and dealing to additional develop our software program and community providers revenues.”

Sony additionally named Bungie’s reside service extraction shooter Marathon, which is scheduled for launch in March after a protracted delay. The sport appears comparatively assured after being recalibrated following detrimental suggestions.

“We hope that many customers will take pleasure in Marathon, scheduled for launch on March fifth, because of Bungie’s enhanced gaming expertise,” stated Lin Tao. “Subsequent fiscal 12 months, we plan to launch new titles equivalent to “Saros” and “Marvel’s Wolverine,” and we wish to strengthen our efforts to develop the earnings of our studio enterprise.”

Final month, an analyst report launched from Japan advised that Sony could postpone the inevitable PlayStation 6 launch till 2028 or later, extending the lifecycle of the PS5 as a substitute.

David Gibson, a senior analyst at MST Worldwide who focuses on gaming and know-how corporations, revealed an article in Japanese. report Forward of immediately’s monetary report, we offer perception into Sony Group’s present efficiency and potential subsequent strikes. “Sony expects the PS5 lifecycle to be longer than earlier technology consoles,” Gibson stated, including that this can doubtless trigger the PS6 launch later than beforehand predicted. “The PS6 is more likely to launch after 2028.” If Gibson is true, the PS6 will not arrive till 2029 on the earliest.

Gibson advised that Sony is specializing in present PS5 customers quite than growing gross sales of the console, which can also be borne out by Lin Tao’s newest feedback. Concerning PlayStation Community providers and PS5 energetic customers, Gibson stated, “Utilization knowledge reveals PS5 consumer exercise continues to be at an all-time excessive. Sony is extra targeted on retaining energetic customers than growing {hardware} gross sales.”

Picture credit score: bepatient laowilas/Nurphoto from Getty Pictures.

Wesley is videogameaddicted’s Director of Information. Discover me on Twitter @wyp100. Wesley may be reached at wesley_yinpoole@videogameaddicted.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.