Sony’s Struggles with Game Sales Post-PlayStation 5 Launch
After selling over 58 million PlayStation games in 2020 alone, Sony has faced challenges in maintaining those high sales figures since then. While the PlayStation 5 has outperformed the Xbox Series X, much of this success can be attributed to Microsoft’s mismanagement of its brand. Sony’s strategy over the past few years has been to let others make more mistakes than it, which has led to a sense that the company has struggled during this console generation, despite the PlayStation 5 surpassing the 90 million unit mark earlier this year.
One significant criticism has been the lack of first-party releases from Sony, and a recent report has highlighted how this has affected the company’s game sales, which have consistently declined since the PlayStation 5 launched in 2020.
According to Game File, the report has compiled Sony’s own sales data for all the games published on consoles over the last six years, covering Sony’s fiscal years from April 2020 to March 2026. This includes not only games developed by Sony’s in-house studios but also titles from external studios that Sony published for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, such as Helldivers 2 and Rise Of The Ronin.
Looking at the data, Sony had a strong 2020, selling 58.4 million games compared to 49.2 million games in the previous year. Part of this success can be attributed to the coronavirus pandemic, which kept many people at home, but it was also due to Sony’s own output. 2020 saw three major exclusives from some of Sony’s most prominent studios: The Last Of Us Part 2 by Naughty Dog, Ghost Of Tsushima by Sucker Punch, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac Games. These were all PlayStation 4 games (with Miles Morales being a cross-gen launch for the PlayStation 5), which meant they had a large player base to take advantage of.
In the following years, however, the sales of Sony-published games have declined even as PlayStation 5 sales increased. By the end of Sony’s 2024 fiscal year, it had sold 28.9 million games, less than half of its 2020 sales total. This decline is partly due to smaller release schedules since 2020, but also because each subsequent year has seen only one or two major exclusives.
Additionally, many of Sony’s studios have been inconsistent with their releases. For example, Sucker Punch did not have a new game ready until late 2025, and Naughty Dog has not released anything new since 2020. Insomniac has been the most consistent, launching new games in 2020, 2021, and 2023, and is set to release its next project – Wolverine – this year.
There are multiple reasons for this situation. Video games now take longer to develop, and Sony has shifted several of its studios to work on live service games. This has kept those studios busy and prevented them from creating traditional single-player games. Many of these live service projects have reportedly been scrapped following the failure of Concord.
Sony’s game sales have started to rise again, with 32.1 million games sold in the 2025 fiscal year. However, this number still falls short of pre-pandemic levels, as Sony only had one first-party exclusive, Ghost Of Yōtei, during that time.
We will need to wait until this time next year to see if the trend continues. For the 2026 fiscal year, Sony currently has two first-party exclusives – Wolverine and Saros – as well as the fighting game Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls by Arc System Works.
This is also why there is a lot of anticipation surrounding the new State of Play event airing tonight, which is expected to last over an hour, suggesting that Sony has a lot to reveal. Wolverine is confirmed to be part of the presentation, but there are rumors and speculation about a new God Of War game making an appearance as well.
Upcoming Releases and Expectations
The upcoming releases and events are generating significant interest among gamers. Sony’s focus on these titles indicates a strategic shift in its approach to game development and marketing. With Wolverine set to launch this year and other titles like Saros and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls in the pipeline, Sony is positioning itself to regain momentum in the competitive gaming market.
The State of Play event is a crucial platform for Sony to showcase its future plans and offerings. Given the length of the event, it is expected to provide a comprehensive look at what players can expect in the coming months. This includes potential new titles, updates on existing projects, and insights into the company’s long-term vision.
As the gaming industry evolves, Sony’s ability to adapt and innovate will be key to its continued success. The company’s focus on both first-party and third-party titles highlights its commitment to offering a diverse range of experiences for its audience.
