Sales of PlayStation-exclusive games have significantly dropped over the past five years, according to recent data.

PlayStation has been facing challenges in maintaining a steady stream of successful titles. Recent data reveals a noticeable decline in first-party game sales over the past five years.

The fiscal year 2020, spanning from April 2020 to March 2021, marked a peak for Sony, with game sales reaching 58.4 million during that period. Major releases like The Last of Us Part 2 (4 million sold in its opening weekend, over 10 million lifetime), Ghost of Tsushima (2.4 million in the first three days, over 11 million total), and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (over 14.4 million total) significantly boosted sales figures for that year and the next. However, by fiscal year 2024, total first-party sales had plummeted to 28.9 million, more than a 50% drop.

Each subsequent year saw a decline, although FY 2025 showed a slight recovery with 32.1 million sales. While FY 2020 and FY 2024 can be seen as anomalies—2020 benefiting from the PS5 launch and a strong game lineup, and 2024 impacted by the troubled release of Concord—the overall trend indicates a significant downturn.

This decline can be partly attributed to the broader industry sales slump following the end of COVID-19 lockdowns, but a more straightforward explanation is that Sony’s studios have not been releasing as many original titles, focusing instead on remakes and remasters. Despite some standout successes during this period, such as God of War Ragnarok selling over 15 million copies and the surprise hit Helldivers 2 with over 20 million sales, the PS5’s game lineup has felt somewhat sparse.

Additionally, Sony’s mixed efforts to shift towards live-service games have contributed to the situation. The closure of the renowned Japan Studio in 2021 and investments in costly live-service titles like Concord and Destiny 2 have not paid off as expected. Concord, in particular, has been labeled one of the biggest entertainment flops, while Bungie recently announced the impending conclusion of Destiny 2.

With Sony’s latest State of Play conference on the horizon, it remains to be seen if the company has any announcements that could help reverse this trend.