One of the key details from Sony’s quarterly financial report today – which also confirmed that the PS5 has shipped 21.7 million consoles – is that PS5 and PS4 owners are playing less than they were a year ago. The manufacturer noted that total gameplay time is down a sizeable 15 per cent year-over-year for the three month period ending 30th June, 2022.
But, unsurprisingly, it’s something the firm aims to address: “We intend to take action to increase user engagement in the second half of the fiscal year, during which major titles including first-party software are scheduled to be released, primarily by increasing the supply of PS5 and promoting the new PS Plus service.”
First off, lockdown last year and no lockdown this year obviously contributes to this
Secondly, there simply aren’t too many game releases on PlayStation this year. February to April was great, with Horizon, Elden Ring, Gran Truism, LEGO Star Wars back to back, but what since then?
Sony’s games are $70, in the middle of the worst inflation and employment crisis in a century
At least some of these factors are under Sony’s control. They need to make the necessary changes, because when external circumstances out of control are this bad, you need to be putting literally your very best foot forward.
I want Sony to do good, it will push Microsoft to be better as Microsoft will push Sony to be better. A win for all gamers. Also, Sony was only down 2% from money they made overall. According to Brad Simms and it the same for Microsoft. The US dollar is a lot stronger again the pound, Euro and other currencies. which means they did not make as much money as they would of with a weaker dollar
I Do think they overreacting, but if it better for the gamer. I for it
As soon as God of War Ragnarok releases instead of playing they will be on social media talking down on Xbox players because they don’t have the game. It so wouldn’t surprise me.
That’s why I used the name calling for both sides, it was meant to be sarcastic, although maybe I should have ended with a /s, because of being on the interwebs. Not harm was meant in my post
The big problem for Sony are their thin margins and reduced profits (by 37 percent) on top of that. The Playstation division had only a very low ~10 percent profit margin during most of PS4’s timeframe and coasted on this success where they outsold their competitors by more than 2:1. How nobody was fired into the sun about this financial failure is still a mystery to me. Playstation had this issue during PS2 era and learned nothing from it.
Now we have a recession where their last action to raise profits (70$ game prices) fails and they have to frantically increase engagement with new services and PC initiatives. Good luck!
I wonder if the new PS+ will change that as Gamepass has changed my gaming habits completely. I can imagine the same for those with access to the rental tier.
Not only that but they’re in a real tough pincer point because of Gamepass…and I think they know it.
Once AB closes and the heavy hitters from it, Bethesda, and XGS start coming to the service…they (Sony) are gonna be at a real crossroads.
The one viable way to compete that they’ll have IMO is to offer their 1st and 2nd party stuff Day 1…I know they’ve denied that they’ll do that and it really feels like a “break glass in case of emergency” move but what other play is there?
The value proposition will be too overwhelming at that point…esp. if the economy is slow to recover.
