Danny Weber
Sony reports a 46% drop in PS5 sales for Q1 2026, with prices rising due to higher component costs. Lifetime sales reach 93.7M but trail PS4. GTA VI expected to boost future sales.
Sony reported a sharp decline in PlayStation 5 sales, as the console's price and production costs continue to rise. Instead of the typical price reduction as a platform matures, the PS5 has become more expensive.
When the PS5 launched in 2020, the digital edition was priced at $399, and the model with a disc drive cost $499. Since then, multiple price hikes have pushed those figures to around $599 and $649, with the latest increase taking effect in March 2026.
The higher prices have already hurt demand. In the quarter that ended March 31, 2026, Sony sold just 1.5 million consoles, down from 2.8 million in the same period the previous year—a drop of more than 46%.
For the full fiscal year, PS5 shipments fell from 18 million to 16.5 million units. Lifetime sales have reached 93.7 million units, but that still trails the PlayStation 4's performance at the same stage of its lifecycle.
Sony blames the situation on higher prices for memory and other components. CEO Hiroki Totoki noted that these rising costs are impacting not just console sales, but also revenue from games, subscriptions, and accessories.
Despite the ongoing pressure, Sony says it has no plans to increase PS5 prices further.
Looking ahead, Sony is optimistic about improving its performance in the next fiscal year, with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI in November expected to provide a major boost.
Sony has also confirmed that work on the PlayStation 6 is underway. The company acknowledged that investments in the next-gen console and hardware will continue to weigh on PlayStation division profits for the foreseeable future.
© E. Vartanyan