Sony sold 1.5 million PlayStation 5 (PS5) units in its fourth fiscal quarter, marking a 46 percent decline from the same period last year amid ongoing memory shortages. The company has adjusted PS5 prices twice in the past year as part of its response to these supply challenges.
Looking ahead, Sony forecasts a six percent decline in gaming division revenue for the coming year, which is expected to amount to $1.69 billion. For fiscal 2025, the gaming division’s overall revenue slightly increased to 4.69 trillion yen ($29.9 billion), up from 4.67 trillion yen ($29.8 billion) during the previous year. Operating income also rose, increasing by 12 percent to 463.3 billion yen ($2.95 billion), bolstered by higher revenues from PlayStation Network services.
Some financial difficulties were attributed to impairment losses related to Bungie’s Destiny 2, which underperformed. However, Sony anticipates a 30 percent increase in profits for the next fiscal year, crediting the absence of such charges and the anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI in November.
Securing memory at reasonable prices is critical for Sony’s future forecasts. The company stated, “We plan to base our PS5 hardware sales in FY26 on the volume of memory we can procure at reasonable prices and we expect hardware profitability to be essentially the same as FY25.” Sony also reported that it has secured the minimum memory needed for sales during the 2026 holiday season.
The current price of a standard PS5 is $650, reflecting a $150 increase after a price hike in March 2026. This pricing comes as the console nears its six-year mark and approaches the end of its product lifecycle. Comparatively, Nintendo has faced similar challenges with its Switch console, but the launch of the Switch 2 in June 2025 has rejuvenated its sales, making it the fastest-selling Nintendo console ever.
