Sony Interactive Entertainment outlines PlayStation VR2 launch output, new IP and live service plans, PC and mobile support, more

PlayStation 5 projected to overtake PlayStation 4 from fourth year onward.

Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan shared new information on PlayStation‘s strategy going forward during the Game & Network Services Segment of Sony Corporation’s Business Segment Briefings 2022.

Here are the key highlights:

PlayStation 5 Sales Compared to PlayStation 4

United States retailer events sold PlayStation 5 consoles at a rate of nearly 1,000 units per minute (80,000 units in 82 minutes) as of the end of its first full fiscal year, according to three different leading retailer events. PlayStation 4 units in the United States sold at six units per minute (80,000 units in nine days) at the same stage in the product lifecycle.

PlayStation 5 sold-through 670,000 units in China on a constrained supply as of week 72 after its global launch versus PlayStation 4’s sales of 250,000 units on a free supply.

PlayStation 5 Supply Issues

PlayStation 5 supply issues are “a top priority.” PlayStation 5 outsold PlayStation 4 in its first year, but undersold PlayStation 4 in its second year due to a supply constrain. The third year is projected to close the gap, with PlayStation 5 projected to overtake again from the fourth year onwards.

PlayStation VR2

PlayStation VR2 will launch with “20-plus major first-party and third-party titles.” Horizon: Call of the Mountain is used as the thumbnail image for this highlight.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Sony Interactive Entertainment’s merger and acquisitions activities are ongoing.

The acquisition of Bungie includes the following synergies:

Bungie to Sony Interactive Entertainment:
- Live services expertise to PlayStation Studios.
- Help build Sony Interactive Entertainment live services center of excellence.
- Live services business operations to platform business.
Sony Interactive Entertainment to Bungie:
- Leverage scale of Sony Interactive Entertainment publishing and platform (marketing, global business operations).
- PlayStation Studios central services.
- General and administrative support (legal, finance, accounting, human resources).

PlayStation Studios Output

In fiscal year 2019, PlayStation Studios released 23 percent new and 77 percent existing intellectual property. For fiscal year 2022, Sony Interactive Entertainment projects it will release 34 percent new and 66 percent existing properties. By fiscal year 2025, it projects an even 50-50 split.

Sony Interactive Entertainment’s first-party portfolio was 90 percent PlayStation 4 and 10 percent PC in fiscal year 2019. It expects that portfolio to be 40 percent PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, 30 percent PlayStation 5, 20 percent PC, and 10 percent mobile in fiscal year 2022, and 50 percent PlayStation 5, 30 percent PC, and 20 percent mobile in fiscal year 2025.

Live Service Investment

In fiscal year 2019, PlayStation 5 investment by business model was 88 percent traditional and 12 percent live service games. For fiscal year 2022, Sony Interactive Entertainment projects a business model of 51 percent traditional games and 49 percent live service titles. By fiscal year 2025, Sony Interactive Entertainment projects 45 percent traditional and 55 percent live service.

Sony Interactive Entertainment projects it will have three live service franchises in fiscal year 2022, six in fiscal year 2023, 10 in fiscal year 2024, and 12 in fiscal year 2025. In fiscal year 2021, which ended on March 31, 2022, it had one: MLB The Show 22.

PC Output

In fiscal year 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment made $80 million in PC net sales versus $35 million in fiscal year 2020. For fiscal year 2022, it projects it will earn $300 million on PC game sales.

Horizon Zero Dawn sold 2,398,000 units on PC.
God of War sold 971,000 units on PC.
Days Gone sold 852,000 units on PC.

Mobile Output

Sony Interactive Entertainment plans to partner with “respected, established, and successful” mobile game developers on top intellectual properties to extend its franchises to more players, as well as establish a network of internal mobile studios and projects, publish external games, and expand to cross-platform where relevant.