- PlayStation’s revenue per active user has increased exponentially in the PS5 era.
- The company earns 59% more on average per active user compared to eight years ago.
- However, growth has stalled in the last two years, with revenue falling flat.
As the PS5 generation is winding down, there is currently no release date in sight for Sony’s next-gen hardware. The Japanese giant has emphasized that it doesn’t have to compete with Xbox Helix and will launch the PS6 on its own time.
With no console to aggressively sell to the consumer, Sony has pivoted in recent times to extracting more revenue from its current player base, even saying so publicly. From the looks of it, the company is doing this job pretty well, as revenue per user has surged exponentially in the past few years.
Why it matters: With the memory crisis putting every company in a precarious situation, increasing revenue from the current player base might be the only way giants like Sony can maintain their position in the industry.
According to Journalist Daniel Ahmad, PlayStation’s average revenue per user has increased by 59% over the last eight years. In FY 2018, the annual revenue per active user was 23,580 yen ($150), a figure that surged to 37,485 Yen ($230) in FY 2025, as per research from the journalist.
The higher-priced PS Plus tiers, more expensive hardware, and increased spending on game software, DLCs, and microtransactions are the biggest drivers behind this exponential increase. On the software side alone, average annual revenue per active user increased by an incredible 65% in the PS5 era.
Considering how PS5 is already the most profitable generation in the company’s history, these numbers make complete sense. However, despite the exponential increase in average gross over this period, growth has stalled in the last two years.
Therefore, when Sony says it wants to monetize the current PlayStation player base more aggressively, it might be to address this flat revenue curve. With the Japanese giant recently admitting it’s not worried too much about PS5 sales, it seems like anti-consumer practices like ads could be the next step Sony takes to increase revenue per active user.
Do you think Sony should aggressively monetise its current player base? Are ads the next logical step the company can take to improve revenue? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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