PS‑5 sales fell nearly by half, and Sony blames a shortage of memory.

Brief on the PlayStation 5 situation

- Memory issue

During its sixth year of life, Sony faced a shortage of memory chips for the PS‑5, leading to higher console prices (in the U.S., prices rose by about $100).

- Sales in the last quarter

In the most recent fiscal quarter, PS‑5 sales fell 46 % compared with the same period last year – only 1.5 million units.

- Plans for 2026

In an official statement, Sony said: “We will plan PS‑5 sales volumes for the 2026 fiscal year (starting April 1) based on the availability of memory at reasonable prices.” The company expects the production margin to remain at the 2025 level.

- Total sales volume

From its debut in October 2020 through March 31, 2026, 93.7 million PS‑5 units have been sold. For comparison:

- PS4 – 117.2 million units over its entire lifecycle;
- PS3 – 87.4 million units.

- Sony Gaming financial results

- Revenue rose from $29.8 billion to $29.9 billion (virtually unchanged).
- Operating profit increased by 12 % to $2.95 billion, largely due to higher PlayStation Network income.

- Forecasts for the current year

Sony expects a 6 % decline in gaming segment revenue to $28 billion, but profit should rise 30 %, as losses from low Destiny 2 sales will no longer be counted.

- Strategy amid memory shortages

The company intends not to “source” memory at any cost, but to take a reasonable approach: if the shortage persists, PS‑5 production volumes may be cut. In February, Sony announced it had already built up memory stocks sufficient for producing the required number of consoles by the fall 2026 season.

- Other segments

In the past fiscal year, profit from film and chips grew, but music revenue fell. The company’s total operating profit rose 13.4 % to $9.3 billion, below market expectations.

Conclusion:

Sony faces a memory shortage challenge that drives up prices and reduces PS‑5 sales. The company plans to manage console production according to component availability while maintaining gaming profitability despite expected revenue declines.