Sony is changing how it runs its PlayStation business. During a recent financial meeting, Sony Senior Vice President Sadahiko Hayakawa said the company is shifting “from a hardware-centric business model more to a platform business that expands the community and increases engagement.”
This change comes as PlayStation sees impressive growth in player numbers. PlayStation Network now has 124 million monthly active users, which is higher than PS4 had at the same point in its lifecycle. The PS5 has sold over 80 million units worldwide, slightly behind PS4’s pace.
Sony isn’t giving up on making consoles. Instead, it’s expanding where and how people can play its games. The most visible signs of this shift include bringing Helldivers 2 to Xbox on August 26, releasing LEGO Horizon Adventures on Switch and PC at the same time as PS5, and hiring for a new position focused on bringing PlayStation games to other platforms.
Money is driving this decision. Sony’s CFO Lin Tao revealed that live-service games like Helldivers 2, MLB The Show, Gran Turismo 7, and Destiny 2 now make up about 40% of Sony’s first-party game revenue in early 2025. She expects this to be between 20-30% for the full year.
The path hasn’t been smooth. Tao admitted the company is facing “many issues” with this shift, pointing to the failure of Concord and delays with Marathon. She emphasized Sony needs to “learn the lessons from mistakes” to release better live-service games with “less waste.”
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Sony’s recent purchase of a 2.5% stake in Bandai Namco fits this new focus. Hayakawa explained that “creation” businesses like games, music, and movies now make up about 60% of Sony’s total revenue.
For PlayStation fans, this doesn’t mean the end of PlayStation consoles. It means Sony wants to reach more players wherever they choose to play. Helldivers 2, which has sold over 12 million copies, shows how successful this approach can be.
Interestingly, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani revealed it was Sony who pushed to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox, calling it “one of the coolest things they’ve done.” This suggests Sony is willing to expand its audience when it makes business sense, especially for online games that benefit from larger communities.
As gaming changes, Sony’s shift shows that even traditional console makers are finding new ways to connect with players. The focus is increasingly on bringing people together around games rather than limiting them to one device.
