Sony Has Sold Over 25 Million PlayStation 5s Since Launch

Sony announced their earnings for Q2 of the 2022 fiscal year this week, and among all the dollar figures, stats and news bandied about, one figure stuck out: 25 million, the number of PlayStation 5s the company has sold since launching the console in November 2020. Though the total number of consoles sold is undeniably impressive — especially considering the cheapest PS5 is $399 USD — it belies Sony’s ambitions for their flagship gaming console.

The company’s target for PS5s sold in the entirety of FY22 was 18 million, and now, halfway through the “year” (which ends March 31, 2023), they’re at 5.7 million units sold, almost identical to the 5.6 million units they’d sold halfway through FY21. Due to a PS5 price increase in September, the company’s revenue spiked 12% as compared to the same period for FY21 — but their overall profit was down by almost 50% due to their acquisition of Bungie and the increased cost of paying game developers.

Some of the lower-than-expected sales numbers for the PlayStation 5 can be attributed to supply chain issues, namely being able to keep production high enough to meet the still-lofty demand for the console. In May, Sony said that it would be able to increase PS5 production to meet demand as the pandemic’s vise grip on manufacturing loosened, but this holiday season, where consoles are always a hot gift, will be the true litmus test for the system.

In other PlayStation news, software sales fell to 6.25 million units from the 76.4 million units sold in the same quarter last year, and PlayStation Plus subscriber numbers declined for the second quarter in a row.

Even with these less-than-stellar stats, Sony has not adjusted its forecast for FY22 and still aims to move 18 million units. Might there be a surprise in waiting? We’ll see in the coming months.

Elsewhere in the world of tech, Microsoft Gaming’s CEO revealed that the company loses between $100-$200 USD on every Xbox they sell.