Final yr was an ungainly time in gaming. There was a big scarcity of big-name video games dropping into gamers’ laps, however Sony’s PlayStation model rode excessive on a number of sudden hits, specifically Astro Bot and Helldivers 2. Most surprisingly, Sony stated that PlayStation consoles bought properly by way of 2024. We’ve to hope the corporate learns the suitable classes. Primarily based on the exec’s current statements, it looks like it’s studying at the very least half of what it ought to have gleaned from 2024.
On Thursday, Sony launched its third quarterly monetary report on gross sales by way of Dec. 31, 2025. In that quarter, the Japanese tech large bought 9.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles, bringing its whole gross sales to 74.5 million. Sony launched the PS5 in 2020, its greatest quarter ever, at the very least in gross sales. The report doesn’t notice the proportion of the brand new PlayStation 5 Professional. Nonetheless, trade analysts have stated that the $700 Professional-level console was doing properly regardless of its excessive value. As famous by EuroGamer, the PS5 gross sales have been simply shy of what the PlayStation 4 bought in the identical variety of months.
The gravy practice retains on rolling. Sony reported that video games and console gross sales have been up by 16% year-over-year. The corporate additional claimed that over 40% of those that purchased a console final quarter have been new to the PS5. The variety of customers and total playtime have been up as properly. A part of this may be attributed to the video games. Sony particularly cited Astro Bot and Helldivers 2 and stated they needed to develop into extra “titles for households and stay service video games.”
Astro Bot wasn’t only a household recreation; it was a very good recreation that even had Reggie Fils-Aimé, the previous president of Nintendo of America, telling the viewers on the New York Sport Awards the way it “virtually outdid Nintendo at its personal recreation.” Helldivers 2 was one other sudden deal with. It was a stay service recreation that didn’t obsess over nickel and eating shoppers. Greater than that, it had a strong gameplay loop with a singular and refreshing satirical tone.
Sport executives largely have cash on their minds, they usually can’t look past the road going as much as perceive why video games or consoles do properly. There’s nothing improper with extra household video games on PS5, however Astro Bot proved that good video games nonetheless promote. If Sony is considering extra “stay service” video games, it also needs to take a lesson from the travesty of the hero shooter Harmony. Gamers don’t simply need one other multiplayer co-op shooter; they need a very good recreation.
There’s a persevering with lack of first-party, middle-market video games that price much less, making them usually cheaper for shoppers. They don’t require all of the graphical finesse of a big-budget title, however gamers get pleasure from all of them the identical. It’s a very good factor Sony is continuous to again Astro Bot. PlayStation introduced Thursday it was including much more ranges to the platformer. A sequel is sort of assured at this level. We need to see extra good video games.
Sony’s first State of Play for 2025, proven late Wednesday, was a dry affair. We hoped to see a brand new trailer for Ghost of Yōtei, Dying Stranding 2: On the Seaside, or something—concerning that upcoming Wolverine recreation from Marvel’s Spider-Man developer Insomniac. So there weren’t many surprises, although at the very least gamers acquired an already-leaked trailer for Metallic Gear Strong Delta: Snake Eater, set to launch Aug. 28. We even have a date for Borderlands 4 (Sept. 23).
The indie slate is wanting attention-grabbing, on the very least. The State of Play featured some intriguing trailers for Hell is Us and Saros, the latter of which was made by Returnal devs at Housemarque. We could not see these video games in 2025, and the anticipated Onimusha: Approach of the Sword gained’t arrive till subsequent yr. I’m undecided if a brand new Sonic Racer CrossWorlds will be capable of compete in opposition to Nintendo for its upcoming Swap 2 Mario Kart sequel.
There are some good video games coming to PlayStation 5 this yr, however we’ll have to attend some time to see if any of them are extra sudden gems. Then once more, perhaps none of this issues. If Grand Theft Auto VI rolls round this yr as promised, it’s going to outsell any and all of those video games by a large margin.
