Key Takeaways
- Sony shipped 2.6 million PS5 consoles during the quarter ended September 30, 2026, bringing lifetime shipments to 97.9 million.
- The PS5 is approximately 4.9 million units behind the PS4’s shipment total at a comparable point in its lifecycle.
- PlayStation monthly active users reached a record 127 million accounts in September, representing a 7% year-over-year increase.
- Sony raised its full-year Game & Network Services revenue forecast by 6%, primarily because of stronger third-party game sales and network services.
- Despite rising memory prices, Sony expects PS5 hardware profitability to remain in line with the previous fiscal year and has aligned memory supplies for next year’s projected hardware sales.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is getting closer to another major sales milestone, even as console shipments begin showing the expected slowdown of an aging hardware generation. During its latest financial results briefing, Sony revealed that it shipped 2.6 million PS5 consoles worldwide during the three months ended September 30, 2026. That takes the console’s cumulative shipments to 97.9 million units, putting it within touching distance of the 100 million milestone.
The latest numbers arrive just days before the PS5 celebrates its sixth anniversary. While the console still has some ground to cover before matching the PS4’s lifetime shipment performance, Sony’s wider gaming business appears to be in a healthy position. An expanding PlayStation user base, stronger software sales, and growing network services revenue are helping the company maintain momentum.
The figures were included in Sony’s latest financial results, published on November 5, 2026. They also reveal how the company plans to deal with rising memory costs while preparing for its next-generation PlayStation hardware.
PS5 Shipments Reach 97.9 Million Worldwide
Sony shipped 2.6 million PS5 consoles between July and September 2026. Although that is a respectable number for hardware approaching its sixth anniversary, it represents a noticeable decline compared to the 4 million consoles shipped during the same quarter last year.
In other words, PS5 shipments dropped by approximately 35% year over year. The console had shipped 93.7 million units by March 31, 2026, and the additional shipments recorded during the first two quarters of Sony’s current fiscal year have pushed its cumulative figure to 97.9 million.
Interestingly, the PS5 is still trailing its predecessor when comparing their performances at roughly the same stage of their respective lifecycles. The PlayStation 4 had shipped approximately 102.8 million units by September 30, 2019, whereas the PS5 reached 97.9 million by September 30, 2026.
That leaves the newer console around 4.9 million shipments behind the PS4’s comparable milestone. It is worth remembering that the PS5’s early years were affected by major supply problems, particularly during the global pandemic, when component shortages and scalpers made finding the console at retail considerably more difficult.
Nevertheless, the PS5 has managed to build a massive audience, and reaching 100 million shipments would be another significant achievement for Sony’s current-generation hardware.
PlayStation’s Monthly Active Users Reach 127 Million
While hardware shipments are gradually slowing down, Sony has another reason to feel confident about its PlayStation business. The company’s latest report revealed that the PlayStation platform had 127 million monthly active users in September 2026, marking a 7% increase compared to the same month last year.
That is particularly important because Sony is no longer relying solely on console sales to generate revenue. Its growing digital ecosystem, PlayStation Store purchases, subscriptions, additional game content, and network services are all contributing to the business.
Player engagement is also moving in the right direction. Sony reported that total playtime across the PlayStation platform increased by 4% year over year during the quarter. This suggests that existing players are continuing to spend more time with their games even as new PS5 hardware sales naturally slow down.
Software sales provide another encouraging sign. Combined full-game software sales for PS4 and PS5 reached 88.2 million units during the quarter, compared to 80.3 million in the same period last year. First-party game sales also increased from 6.3 million to 8.2 million units.
For Sony, these numbers demonstrate why maintaining an active player base is so important. Selling fewer consoles does not necessarily mean the overall PlayStation business is losing momentum, particularly when millions of existing users continue purchasing games and using its online services.
Sony Raises Its PlayStation Gaming Business Forecast
Another major takeaway from the financial briefing is that Sony has raised its full-year forecast for its Game & Network Services division. The company now expects the segment to generate approximately 4.83 trillion yen in annual sales, representing a 6% increase from its previous forecast of 4.54 trillion yen.
Sony has also increased its full-year operating income forecast from 660 billion yen to 700 billion yen. The improvement is mainly attributed to stronger-than-expected sales of third-party game software, increased network services revenue, and cost reductions.
There is an interesting connection here with Grand Theft Auto 6, which is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The highly anticipated Rockstar release is already generating enormous interest, and Sony’s platform is reportedly attracting the larger share of pre-orders.
According to estimates from Sensor Tower reported by GameSpot, GTA 6 has accumulated approximately 7.71 million digital pre-orders, representing an estimated $751 million in revenue. The PlayStation 5 reportedly accounts for 5.74 million pre-orders, or approximately 74% of the total, while Xbox Series X|S accounts for the remaining 1.97 million.
However, these figures are unofficial estimates rather than sales numbers confirmed by Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive. They also cover digital pre-orders, rather than physical copies. Sony has not specifically confirmed that GTA 6 is responsible for its improved financial forecast. During the briefing, the company pointed to stronger-than-expected third-party software sales and increased player engagement when discussing the improved outlook.
Even so, GTA 6 represents a major upcoming release for the PlayStation ecosystem. With such a large estimated share of pre-orders coming from PS5 users, its launch could provide another boost to software-related revenue and player engagement.
Rising Memory Prices Remain a Challenge for PS5
Despite the positive financial outlook, Sony is not completely free from challenges. Rising memory prices have become a concern for console manufacturers, with the growing demand for memory components putting additional pressure on hardware production costs.
The PS5 has already become more expensive in several markets since its original launch, making hardware pricing an important consideration for Sony. However, the company says it has been working to offset increasing memory costs through adjustments to pricing and promotional spending, alongside additional cost-reduction measures.
More importantly, Sony expects PS5 hardware profitability during the current fiscal year to remain broadly in line with the previous fiscal year. That is an encouraging development considering the pressure that higher component prices could otherwise put on console margins.
Sony also provided an update on its memory procurement plans for the next fiscal year. According to the company, discussions with various suppliers have helped it align the quantity of memory required to support its projected hardware sales.
This is an important step for PlayStation because Sony cannot afford to face the same kind of supply uncertainty that affected the PS5 during its early years. Securing enough memory for projected production should help the company maintain a more predictable hardware business while managing the additional costs associated with manufacturing consoles.
However, Sony has not guaranteed that hardware profitability will remain unchanged next fiscal year. Its latest comments specifically address the current fiscal year’s profitability expectations and the memory quantities arranged for the next one.
Sony Confirms Next-Generation PlayStation Development Is on Schedule
Alongside the financial updates, Sony also briefly discussed its plans for the next-generation PlayStation platform. The company confirmed that development is progressing according to schedule, although it did not reveal any concrete details about the console’s specifications, launch date, or official announcement plans.
During the question-and-answer session, Sony executives explained that investment in next-generation research and development is progressing as planned. The company also indicated that a larger portion of its next-generation investment would have an impact during the second half of the current fiscal year.
When discussing its longer-term plans, Sony emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in the next platform while maintaining the health of its existing PlayStation ecosystem. The company intends to provide further information at an appropriate time.
That should not come as a surprise. The PS5 still has a substantial player base, and Sony has plenty of reasons to keep supporting the current generation with major releases, network services, and new features before eventually shifting its full attention to successor hardware.
PS5’s Future Looks Promising Despite Slowing Hardware Sales
Reaching 97.9 million shipments is a significant achievement for the PS5, especially considering the difficult launch period the console experienced. Although it remains behind the PS4 at a comparable point in their lifecycles, Sony’s latest financial results suggest that the platform is generating plenty of value beyond hardware sales.
The combination of 127 million monthly active accounts, stronger software sales, and increased network services revenue gives Sony a solid foundation as the current console generation enters its later stages. The upcoming launch of major third-party games, including GTA 6, could provide another opportunity to strengthen that ecosystem.
For now, Sony appears focused on getting the most out of its existing hardware while preparing for what comes next. The next PlayStation console may still be some distance away, but the company has made it clear that development is progressing as planned.
The PS5 is now less than 3 million shipments away from reaching 100 million. Whether it eventually matches or surpasses the PS4’s performance remains to be seen, but Sony’s latest results show that its PlayStation business has plenty of momentum beyond console sales alone.
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