Sony has revised its full-year sales forecast for the PlayStation 5, lowering the expected unit sales from 25 million to 21 million, citing weaker-than-anticipated sales during the year-end shopping season. In a strategic shift towards its core entertainment and image sensor businesses, the company also announced plans to list its financial arm, Sony Financial Group, in October 2025, while retaining a nearly 20% stake.
Despite the adjustment in PS5 sales projections, Sony reported a 10% increase in operating profit for the October-December quarter, amounting to 463.3 billion yen ($3.08 billion). This boost was attributed to the strong performance of its financial services, movies, and music divisions, which helped offset a slump in the gaming sector.
The company highlighted its transformation from an electronics manufacturer to a diverse conglomerate with interests across entertainment and technology. This was evident in the sales of 8.2 million PS5 units during the third quarter, marking an improvement over the previous year’s 7.1 million units.
However, the gaming division’s operating profit dipped by about a quarter, impacted by promotional hardware losses and decreased sales of first-party titles. Notably, “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” achieved significant success, selling 10 million copies since its launch on October 20, alongside the introduction of a slimmer PS5 console version aimed at boosting sales.
In contrast, Nintendo recently raised its full-year forecast for the Switch console, and Microsoft is expected to update on its gaming business shortly. Meanwhile, Sony’s chip division saw an 18% profit increase, further bolstered by TSMC’s announcement of a second fabrication plant in Japan, in collaboration with Sony and others.
This news comes after Sony abandoned a proposed $10 billion merger of its Indian operations with Zee Entertainment, which would have established a major television presence. Despite these developments, Sony’s shares have risen by 9% this year, even though they saw a slight dip of 0.5% before the earnings announcement.
