Sales numbers are important, but engagement metrics are just as meaningful in this social media age. Sony has revealed, then, that the PlayStation Network currently has 70 million monthly active users. To be clear, this statistic is not restricted to paying PlayStation Plus subscribers – it accounts for anyone who’s logged in to the PlayStation Network in the past month, spanning any device from the PlayStation 4 through to the Vita.
It is a very impressive figure, though: Xbox Live – which extends to phones and Windows computers – has 55 million monthly active users, so Sony’s network compares very favourably with arguably shorter reach. Of course, neither can come close to the social media juggernauts: Facebook, for example, is reportedly nearing two billion monthly active users, which really puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
At last count in June 2016, PlayStation Plus had 20.8 million paid subscribers, which is guaranteed to have increased by now. This means that over a quarter of PSN users are paying the annual fee, a ratio that will have dollar signs in the eyes of Sony executives. But how can the platform holder both retain these users and keep bringing new ones in? Well, that’s going to be the challenge that it’s tasked with moving forwards.
Update: There are 26.4 million PlayStation Plus subscribers as of 31st March, 2017. More information here.
[source sony.net]
Comments 13
There's your reason for the decline in quality on monthly games. It's just too expensive!
That's an impressive amount never knew it was higher than xbox live. And perhaps they can make ps plus more attractive by bringing in more appealing games. Just look at the dislike bar each month
@THRILLHOU But it doesn't have to be organized to pay developers / publishers on a pay per download basis. It could be a single large one off payment.
Onto Facebooks 2 billion active users, I have noticed a lot of my friends and family posting less and less and it would be interesting in Facebook terms to what monthly active users actually means. Accidentally clicking a link which automatically logging into Facebook happens every other week to me.
"Xbox Live – which extends to phones and Windows computers – has 52 million monthly active users"
It was 55 million this past January and they only counted paying subscribers. Still great news for Sony, they need to focus on turning those into subs though.
I'm disappointed @get2sammyb. I was for sure you were going to throw in "100 million" somewhere in the article...
@Musashiden You're right, I've corrected to 55 million. You are, however, wrong regarding the paid subscribers bit.
"70 million monthly active users" how many of thoses 70 million are people behind more then 1 account. I myself have atleast 3 active accounts. My main for gaming. 2nd one for testing games before i add to my main account and a 3rd i use for GTA Online on top of my main.
@themcnoisy that's true mate, but it also means tens of millions in potentially lost sales. Sony would never pony up a sum that matches that.
70m online users yet only 20m or so 'paying' users despite the fact its compulsory for online gaming in almost all games.
One way to increase that ratio would be to offer a higher quality of games in the IGC to encourage those who are not interested in online gaming to purchase PS+
@VotesForCows
Mostly for when i buy used or second hand. Or a game im not quite sure of i play like 10-20 minutes on that account then move it over to my main
Facebook lol that pile of dregs will fall out of fashion soon enough, its not all that much better than myspace.
@get2sammyb Oh whoops, I thought active subscribers meant anyone who pays for XBL. Figured it was the reason they even launched the Game Pass recently.
Thanks for the clarification!
Looking for the recycle bin windows 10 here,
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