game news “PlayStation is on fire”: The latest PS5 and PS+ figures impress
As we all wait for the PlayStation Showcase, which starts at 10pm tonight, Sony has released some interesting numbers on its gaming segment. The conclusion can be summed up in three words: PlayStation is doing well. Did you doubt it?
Summary
- A highlight for Sony
- PS+ and PSVR 2 are on the rise
- The future of the PlayStation lies in service games, PC ports and new IPs
A highlight for Sony
On the occasion of its Business Segment Meeting 2023, Sony presented several data that demonstrate the excellent direction of the Japanese company. The brand has started a race against itself to be better than the PS4 in every area. When it comes to growth, the group wants to rely on three pillars: the consoles and related services, the expansion of the games portfolio and cooperation with Sony’s other segments.
2022 was a record year for Sony in terms of sales and the company is pleased to have resolved delivery issues to “to an unprecedented demand” which leads to “highest commitment ever“. On social networks, observers are cheering the results of a Sony “on fire” with the wind at its back.
PlayStation feels absolutely hot right now, I have to be honest. The brand momentum is exceptionally strong and there’s a big presentation coming up tomorrow
PSVR2 sold faster than PSVR1, which came as a huge shock to me. Crazy branding power for PlayStation across the board
—Benji Sales (@BenjiSales) May 23, 2023
Figures released by the company show that gamers are spending more money on PS5 accessories (+60%), subscriptions (+52%) and add-ons (+210%) compared to the PS4 and comparable periods, explaining the slight decrease decrease in game purchases recorded (-10%). However, Sony expects this rare fly in the ointment to be history by the end of fiscal 2023. Jim Ryan’s teams also expect the number of monthly active users to increase in the coming months.
PS+ and PSVR 2 are on the rise
It’s no surprise, Sony had already said so, but the new PlayStation Plus formula is a success. 30% of the service’s subscribers put their hand in their pocket to pay for the extra or premium offers. Currently, PlayStation has 8 million premium subscribers versus 6.1 million extra subscribers. Admittedly, the number changes little, but thanks to subscription prices, revenue is increasing. Despite rumors causing great disappointment from PSVR 2, Sony announces that the virtual reality headset performs better than the first PSVR (+10%) in the first 6 weeks.
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The future of the PlayStation lies in service games, PC ports and new IPs
The Business Segment Meeting 2023 shows us that Sony will focus heavily on the live service in the years to come. As well as relying on Bungie’s recommendations to greenlight service games, the Japanese giant will also use its reserves to multiply business models. While the live service represented just 12% of investments in fiscal 2019, it will account for 60% of investments in fiscal 2025 (compared to 40% for traditional games). A hell of a development, which can even be called a real turning point in the manufacturer’s policy.
In addition, Sony has confirmed that investments in new IPs will increase. In fact, spending on new IP and installed licenses will be even in FY2025, 50:50 (compared to 20% in FY2019). Finally, PlayStation promises investments in mobile devices, in the cloud and provides additional revenue through PC connections. It remains to be seen whether Sony will be happy with this risky strategy.the Japanese juggernaut has yet to prove it all in terms of service and mobile games, while its latest PC ports have seen disappointments, the cloud space is dominated by Microsoft and new license development is bound to be riskier.
The company behind God of War certainly promises two major releases (or more) a year, with a portfolio that covers all major genres (shooter, racing, RPG, platform, action, sports) and can count on everything Sony has to offer group in terms of partnerships. If you would like more information, note that the entire presentation can be viewed below Here. Maybe tonight’s PlayStation Showcase will give us a glimpse of some of Sony’s upcoming service games?
