PlayStation Could Use More Hits, Amid First-Party Game Sales Decline

Sony’s recent data reveal a sustained decline in first‑party game sales across its PlayStation platforms since 2020, with only a modest rebound in the most recent fiscal year. In the peak period between spring 2020 and winter 2021, Sony sold 58.4 million copies of its own titles, buoyed by blockbuster releases such as The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima, alongside the launch of the PlayStation 5. Four years later, during a cycle that included Astro Bot and the poorly received Concord, sales fell to less than half that figure. The latest 12‑month window, covering April 2025 through March 2026, shows an uptick to 32.1 million units, driven in part by the high‑profile release of Ghost Of Yotei.

The downward trend is evident in Sony’s publicly disclosed annual financials, which have tracked first‑party unit sales since 2020 and even provided historical data back to 2018. The decline has coincided with a period of studio acquisitions and an influx of remakes and remasters, yet these initiatives have not reversed the sales trajectory. Analysts note that the pandemic‑era spike in 2020, driven by global lockdowns and increased home entertainment consumption, may have inflated that year’s figures; however, overall console sales have remained stable, suggesting the drop in first‑party titles is not merely a post‑pandemic correction.

The persistent erosion of Sony‑backed hits has heightened anticipation for upcoming showcases such as the PlayStation State of Play, where new titles like Insomniac’s Wolverine are expected to generate fan excitement. Whether Sony’s internal development teams can deliver the next wave of compelling first‑party experiences remains to be seen.