Sony has raised its sales and profit forecasts for its gaming business and, for the first time, disclosed an official sales figure for Marvel’s Wolverine. The game sold more than 2.4 million units as of November 4, 50 days after launch, while Sony said its PlayStation business is getting a lift from stronger sales of non-first-party games as Grand Theft Auto 6 draws closer.
Forecasts rise on non-first-party software and services
Sony said it increased the sales forecast for its Game & Network Services segment, which includes PlayStation, by 6%. The company said the change reflects “an increase in sales of non-first-party game software titles.” It also lifted the profit forecast for the gaming business by 6%, pointing to higher sales of non-first-party games, better costs, and stronger results from network services such as PlayStation Plus.
The timing matters because Sony’s partnership with Rockstar Games has put the PS5 at the center of Grand Theft Auto 6 marketing. Gameplay shown so far has come from PS5 only, and promotional material says the game “plays best on PS5.” The game is also due on Xbox Series X and S, but Sony’s messaging has made the PlayStation version look like the main showcase so far.
That push sits alongside Sony’s broader software strategy. The company has already been treating third-party releases, subscriptions, and network services as important parts of the business rather than relying only on console sales. A recent GTA 6 hardware deal story also showed how closely PlayStation promotions are being tied to the game’s launch window.
Wolverine crosses 2.4 million units in its first 50 days
Sony’s other headline number was Marvel’s Wolverine, which had not previously had an official sales update. The company said cumulative sales exceeded 2.4 million units as of November 4, and that the figure helped improve the segment’s quarterly results.
“Regarding first-party titles, cumulative sales of Marvel’s Wolverine, released in September, exceeded 2.4 million units, contributing to the improved results of the entire segment for the quarter.”
Sony said it used its experience building the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise to create a different kind of action game for Wolverine. In the company’s view, players have responded well to the game’s action, production values, and story. Sony summarized the feedback by saying users praised the title for its highly immersive action, high-quality production, and richly layered storytelling.
The 2.4 million figure gives a useful comparison point against other PlayStation releases. Sony said Ghost of Yotei sold 3.3 million units in 32 days after launching in October last year, while Astro Bot reached 1.5 million copies after 58 days in 2024. Marvel’s Wolverine also trails Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which sold 2.5 million copies on day one in October 2023, 5 million after 11 days, and 10 million after 107 days.
That comparison does not make Wolverine a poor result on its own; it shows how quickly Sony’s biggest first-party games can diverge depending on franchise strength, release timing, and market conditions. The holiday season will now be the key period for the game’s next sales jump, since the current total was measured 50 days into its run.
PS5 hardware slows, but engagement stays high
Sony said PS5 sales continue to decline, which it said is expected at this stage of the console cycle. At the same time, the company argued that the broader PlayStation business remains in steady shape. Sony said the PS platform continues to expand and grow in a stable manner.
The clearest sign of that stability came from monthly active users. Sony said PlayStation MAUs rose 7% in September compared with the same month of the previous fiscal year, reaching 127 million accounts. The company said that was a record high for September and said it shows that “the baseline of engagement is steadily improving.”
Sony also addressed the effect of memory prices, which have been pushed up by demand linked to the AI boom. The company has already raised the price of PS5 hardware, but said it has balanced the higher component costs with changes to promotions and pricing, along with more cost reductions. It said hardware profitability for the current fiscal year should stay on par with the previous fiscal year.
On memory supply for next fiscal year, Sony said it has already aligned with suppliers on the quantity of memory needed for its projected hardware unit sales. That suggests the company believes it has enough supply lined up to keep hardware plans on track even as component costs remain elevated.
Sony keeps next-generation plans in view
Sony also offered a short update on what comes after PS5. The company said it plans to keep pushing engagement and monetization through strong releases and service expansion, while also preparing the next generation of hardware.
“Looking ahead to next fiscal year, we aim to continue to enhance user engagement and further strengthen monetization through the release of strong titles and the expansion of our service. We also intend to make solid progress in preparing for the next generation platform.”
Sony did not name that hardware in the update, but the wording points toward the company’s next console plans and possibly a handheld device. For now, the immediate story is simpler: PlayStation’s forecast is up, Marvel’s Wolverine has a first official sales figure, and Sony is banking on third-party software strength as Grand Theft Auto 6 moves closer to release.
Elsewhere in the PlayStation ecosystem, the company’s recent results show how software, subscriptions, and hardware pricing are all moving together. Sony’s latest numbers suggest it expects that mix to carry the business into the next fiscal year, even as console sales cool and the biggest third-party launch of the era approaches.
2.4 million in 50 days is solid