Sony's gaming division, known for its popular PlayStation consoles, has announced that the PlayStation 5 (PS5) has now sold over 61 million units worldwide. Despite a relatively quiet three-month period, the company managed to sell 2.4 million PS5 consoles during the first quarter of its financial year 2024 (April 1 to June 30). While this falls short of the 3.3 million units sold during the same period last year, it brings the total number of PS5 sales to date up to an impressive 61.7 million.

In the recently released financial reports, Sony's gaming division showed positive overall performance in the first quarter of FY2024. Sales in the 'Games & Network Services' segment saw a robust 12% year-on-year increase, with operating income rising by 32% compared to last year's Q1, reaching a total of ¥65.2 billion ($443 million).

Sony attributed this growth to multiple factors, including the impact of foreign exchange rates, increased sales of first-party game software titles, and a rise in sales from network services such as PlayStation Plus. However, the company acknowledged a decrease in hardware sales due to a decrease in overall unit sales.

Furthermore, the reports indicated a decline in software unit sales during Q1 2024. Only 53.6 million units were sold during this period, compared to the 56.5 million units sold in Q1 of the previous year. Sony also revealed that digital downloads accounted for 80% of sales in Q1 2024, compared to an average of 70% in the previous fiscal year.

Based on the Q1 figures, Sony has revised its forecast for the gaming division for the entire financial year 2024 (April 2024 - March 2025). The company has adjusted its sales and operating income forecasts upward by 3%, indicating optimism for future performance.

Dr. Serkan Toto, a Tokyo-based industry consultant, highlighted the solid performance of Sony's gaming division despite a quiet software lineup in 2024. He noted that the sales of PlayStation Plus benefited from the price increase, while acknowledging the decline in hardware sales. Dr. Toto emphasized that Sony's hopes for a rebound in hardware sales rest on the success of upcoming games, such as Astro Bot and other new releases planned for this year.

With the PlayStation 5 surpassing the milestone of 61 million units sold, Sony's gaming division continues to demonstrate its market dominance. As the year progresses, all eyes will be on the potential impact of new game releases and the company's ability to reignite interest and drive sales for the coveted next-gen console.