PS5 Reaches 77.8M Units Sold, Digital Games Lead Growth

Sony has officially reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, revealing that PlayStation 5 shipments have surpassed 77.8 million units globally. However, the momentum behind hardware sales is clearly slowing: only 2.8 million units were shipped this quarter, compared to 4.5 million in the same period last year.

Despite this, Sony’s digital ecosystem is thriving. Combined PS4 and PS5 software sales increased year-over-year, with 80% of full-game sales made digitally—a noticeable jump from last year’s 77%. Monthly active users on the PlayStation Network also grew, reaching 124 million.

This shift reflects a broader industry trend: players are engaging less with physical hardware and more with digital content and services. Sony’s performance highlights its effective transition toward a platform-first model driven by online engagement and digital consumption.

Sony’s challenge moving forward will be maintaining momentum in this digital ecosystem while confronting stagnating hardware interest. With rising production costs and potential pricing pressures—especially in key markets like the U.S.—Sony may need to rethink how it sustains its console lifecycle while expanding its service-based revenue streams.