Sony's Q3 results received a boost from Ghost of Yōtei, which "significantly contributed" to a 6% increase in digital game revenue

Image credit: Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment

The video game "Ghost of Yōtei" played a notable role in elevating Sony's financial performance in the third quarter. The revenue from digital games and additional content observed a 6% increase, totaling ¥761.5 billion, or approximately $4.8 billion.

In a recent earnings discussion, as reported by Yahoo Finance, CFO Lin Tao highlighted the impressive sales figures for the title developed by Sucker Punch Productions, noting it outperformed "Ghost of Tsushima" during a similar timeframe by reaching 3.3 million units sold since its debut on October 2, 2025.

Tao also mentioned the performance of other established titles such as "Helldivers 2" and "MLB The Show," which contributed to steady income streams. Expressing confidence in the upcoming release of "Marathon" on March 5, 2026, Tao acknowledged the delay from its initial release date set for September 23, 2025, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz.

Despite facing unforeseen challenges in the hardware sector during Q3, Sony managed to continue expanding the PlayStation 5's reach, surpassing the 92 million units mark in cumulative sales. However, the period saw a drop in console shipments, with 8 million units sold over the holiday season, a 15.7% decline from the 9.5 million sold by the end of Q3 in the previous year.

Tao further explained that while PS5 hardware sales experienced a slight downturn later in the console's lifecycle, revenue from software sold through the PlayStation Store reached unprecedented levels, largely thanks to popular third-party games and new major releases.

Addressing the ongoing memory shortage, Tao discussed potential impacts on PS5 pricing. Plans are in place to negotiate with suppliers to ensure sufficient resources to satisfy consumer demand.

Moving forward, Tao emphasized a flexible approach to hardware sales strategies, aiming to mitigate increased memory costs by focusing on maximizing returns from the existing user base and boosting software and network services income.

Regarding future PS5 hardware sales, Tao acknowledged that costs may rise, suggesting various strategies could be employed as the hardware's lifecycle progresses, anticipating a natural slowdown or decline in sales.