Overview
- A Game File chart published this week collated Sony’s annual results and showed first‑party unit sales peaking at 58.4 million in FY2020 then falling each year to 28.9 million in FY2024 before rising to 32.1 million in FY2025.
- The FY2020 high reflected the PS5 launch and COVID‑era demand, while the five‑year decline tracks fewer first‑party releases, longer AAA development times and a costly shift into live‑service projects that produced cancellations and flops.
- Business changes that affect unit counts include Sony raising flagship game prices to $70, introducing PS Plus Extra which alters discounting and distribution, and increasing multi‑studio acquisitions that have not yet produced steady blockbuster hits.
- Sony’s wider gaming business remains financially strong through subscriptions and third‑party fees, but recent moves such as studio closures, a large Bungie impairment and reports of scaled‑back PC ports add uncertainty about the pipeline and the timing and cost of the next console.
- What to watch next is whether upcoming first‑party releases and State of Play showcases turn the modest rebound into sustained growth and whether Sony adjusts its publishing, PC and hardware plans to rebuild its exclusive game identity.