In its recent financial report, Sony revealed that it would take action as PS5 and PS4 owners were playing a lot less than it anticipated. The firm noted that gameplay time declined a significant 15 per cent year-over-year for the three month period ending 30th June, 2022 – a pretty huge slump all things considered. But it’s being reflected right across the industry.
Call of Duty, for example, is having a torrid time – which will likely be affecting PlayStation’s engagement statistics as well. The franchise saw its active players dwindle, from 127 million this time last year to just 94 million now. That’s a 33 million active user decline – and it contributed to a 28 per cent slump in revenue.
In fact, Activision Blizzard’s numbers have been on a bit of a downward spiral since peaking in March 2021, and this is the lowest they’ve been since 2019 – before the pandemic. It’s probably safe to assume that the reduction of lockdown restrictions is playing a pretty major part here, although Call of Duty: Vanguard has largely been considered a misfire by the firm as well.
All of this is having an impact on the industry’s bottom line. According to NPD data in the United States, overall spend in the sector slumped by 13 per cent in the most recent quarter, falling a dramatic $1.78 billion year-over-year. The cost of living crisis isn’t helping, of course, with many more concerned about their bills than the latest tentpole AAA video games.
After a couple of years of unprecedented growth, it’s clear that reality is beginning to bite for platform holders like PlayStation and its various publishing partners.
[source eurogamer.net, via theverge.com]
Comments 53
It's almost like these companies expected the lockdown numbers to continue after it ended!
With it being COVID, good weather majority of the world, games more expensive, bills more expensive is this really a surprise that gaming has probably took a backseat for alot of people. Apart from warzone although decent games cod just seems to had it's day in terms of there full releases maybe it's just me but there's no excitement for cod when comes around anymore, maybe that's just me.
Not surprised releasing the same recycled garbage year after year
@feral1975 Lockdown figures were crazy both ways. It skewed things a lot because nobody had a timeframe for when things could return to normalcy. So, stupidly the forecast figures were inclusive of those ridiculous Lockdown figures.
Same thing happened at my place of work and people are left wondering why the current figures are low. They're not low, they're reflective of the current state of mierda.
🎻
Covid numbers have ended as people are able to go outside and do other things once again. No doubt numbers are gonna drop.
@theMEGAniggle
Exactly, should have put in extraordinary planning measures to deal with that.
it baffles me that anyone would expect numbers to remain as high as they were during covid .
This isnt a decline its just going back to normal
Like everyone already said, how is this a surprise to anyone in this industry? They keep stating it like it's a problem rather than an expected leveling from an artificially high period?
How do these guys make millions if they don't even get the basics? If these guys made airplanes they'd be amazed that the plane loses altitude when it runs out of fuel.
The impact of this will be fascinating. 2020 - 2021 will be the peak of "engagement" for live services and a lot of people, who only look at numbers, bought in on some extremely unsustainable numbers.
@feral1975 Yup. Same is happening with Netflix now, where the graph is pointing down but it was unnatural growth anyway.
I wonder if the bots on Twitter will have the same energy today? 🤔
I have absolutely no idea why games company's etc etc are at all surprised by a drop in playing time ,especially after the last 2 yrs,video games are for me personally a fantastic past time but like so many other players as well and myself Included have a load of interests outside of gaming and wonderful to do other things for a change
And this is for warzone? A free to play game with the call of duty name should not be declining like that, maybe the series is losing its pull
@get2sammyb
Normal people could have foreseen this all straightaway.
There are too many people pushing stats they know as incorrect to greedy ignorant shareholders for short term gains.
Its almost like we all had nothi g better to do over the last few years.
I hope this is because people are getting tired of the same regurgitated crap every year.
soon itll be companies under sony and Microsoft. be more money if they release on both , pc will still get the games after an "exclusive" year on the console lol
i like the exclusives playstation, xbox , Nintendo im into gaming so il save up for all these games , consoles , vr headsets and pc components it does get expensive lol
Watch they are going to raise prices just so the shareholders can stay "pleased".
@feral1975 we get taught to be prudent and always plan for the worst case. Issue is that Business execs and other stakeholders always look at the bottom line; money. These projections get projected because of greed and nothing else. Its not pure stupidity because they know that the situation is caused by reasons, but that doesn't stop them from making the stupid decision.
@Ssimsim I dunno… I saw plenty of excitement for the new cod reveal in June. Personally I thought it looked great. I’m definitely hyped for it. The only shame being that it’s doubtful it will be part of my gamepass sub this year. Thanks Sony.
Numbers were never going to stay to the level they were when we were all locked down. We were all clambering for our time to be taken… look at what happened with the switch and animal crossing - crazy times.
End of the day gaming is a luxury for most. The cost of petrol and electric is pretty crazy right now. So even after the sun has gone back behind the clouds I can’t see gaming reaching the peak it did this time last year…especially with £70 games.
I can see subscription models growing though.
Talking about luxury items…It’s going to be very interesting to what price point psvr2 comes out at…and just how well it does in its first 2 years.
@NEStalgia that made me laugh ,top notch
If these guys made airplanes they'd be amazed that the plane loses altitude when it runs out of fuel.
So this is actually the thought I had when Sony made the comment about Microsoft buying Activision. I feel as though Call of Duty isn’t the franchise it once was.
Maybe and I’m just throwing it out there but people want to play new innovative franchises.
Not cod 20 and remakes and remasters.
Gaming is getting stale and lazy.
Infinite growth doesn't exist.
Companies: Surprised Pikachu face 😲
Weird, how you don't hear too much about the scalpers and their altruistic behavior of "providing for families" anymore. Wonder if they're sitting on a ton of stock.
I commented in the COD article the other day that I suspected this was the case — COD is showing some of its vulnerability right now, and there’s an opening for someone (Sony?) to come in and steal some thunder from the franchise. Yea, most of the drop is pandemic related, but I feel like the players aren’t as enamored with COD as they once were.
In all honesty I'm just not interested in alot of recent releases. I cained Elden Ring for 3 weeks solid, got the plat and haven't booted it up since. I bought ps+ extra, tried miles moralis n yeah it's decent but it's pretty much the same game. I herd guardians of the galaxy was great...got bored before the end of the first zone. Looks super pretty for sure but seems boring. Probs only game that looks interesting right now is Hogwarts...it's something new. Even god of war Ragnarok seems like just a DLC. Only other game I really enjoyed this year was The Outer Wilds...it's amazing.
Let's be real. Those 'peak' levels of engagement were all highly inflated due to covid and lockdowns.
Maybe as well as the post COVID decline people are finally starring to move on. Microsoft should have held out a bit longer and could have shaved a few billions off the price they had to pay.
@UltimateOtaku91 F2P is also being impacted. COVID restrictions meant a lot more people working from home or plainly not working, that meant a lot more free time on a budget, F2P games were a godsend for such people.
With so many back at the office, or plainly working on stuff that does not leave the idle time, this should had simply been expected.
Mobile F2P games that are less bound to your couch or home office should be a bit less likely to be impacted, though, since they are played wherever you are if you have some idle time, but still should also see somewhat of a hit.
Never have I played a single CoD/Battlefield/etc game, nor do I have the slightest desire to do so. (does that make me unusual?)
None of this is surprising. COVID inflated the numbers because people turned to gaming and other forms of entertainment since they couldn't do anything else. Now that they can go out and do things, naturally the numbers were going to trend down. That's also why I've always rolled my eyes at the media trying to say that Netflix is in trouble because their subscribers kept dropping.
It is what it is, and was going to happen. PlayStation will be fine. Call of Duty will be fine for better or for worse.
I think people are just going out more, after Lockdown i think people appreciate the world outside of their homes more.
I do wonder if the onslaught of live services, MTX and all that is tiring down people though and putting them off?
It’s largely the weather! I traditionally play quite a lot but I’m getting a lot of cycling done while it’s nice. And when I am not, I am too knackered 😂 I’ve probably clocked an hour a week max on my PS5/Switch since spring.
It is as anticipated with covid being largely ignored now.
I don't think companies necessarily anticipated different; they are just now having to notify shareholders of the numbers.
Sony on the other hand is slightly different in that there has also been widespread dissatisfaction with their consumer side communication, and it's great that on that front they are acknowledging it's a problem. They too, with the delays and lack of really any first party titles post Horizon, it's expected that combined with the season shift, covid restrictions pulled, and lack of content that they would see declines.
The shock here is that there are that many people that play friggin COD still, it's just baffling to me to see this, overpriced switch games worth half what they cost, GTA 5, and a bunch of copy and paste Sports garbage and live service schemes masked as games always top sellers and played.
Humanity on all fronts, even entertainment, is devolving,..... rapidly.
All these companies should’ve adjusted their expectations. Lockdown uptakes weren’t going to hold up. People have to go to work, do social things, .... .
I’m sure most companies will see a high single digit % growth as we go go back to normal.
So you buy a brand new PlayStation to play god of war ragnarock,
It comes out very early in the systems life cycle. It just kinda sucks now knowing your not getting another one until ps6 at the earliest. GTA and elders rolls just skipped a generation that lasted almost a decade that’s effed. I know a bunch of people who don’t game for that very reason
Sony advertised COD more than any other company.
There was always a huge COD banner at the top of the store. And COD gave PS users early access and exclusive items. iIt,s gone now. It's a really fun situation.
The world of business is such a place. Sony should develop exclusive fps games. Any better ideas?
Removed - inappropriate; user is banned
Apologies for going completely off topic but, it has only really just hit me about Bernie Stolar. What a man. The work he did to make all gamers have better consoles and better games. Legend.
COVID aside, I believe that the quality and political agenda behind their games maybe have made people lose interest in their (already too expensive products).
Personally I have stopped buying Sony exclusive games and I am moving to other platforms, I have also noticed that out of the people I've talked with, all of them except one were against the way Sony is handling their games and they were annoyed by the push of the agenda behind them.
Only one person was approving and deemed said agenda "necessary", she, however, doesn't buy those games either.
Twitter may be loud and whatnot, but the rest of the community that simply wants good old fun games won't even complain, will just move on.
Hope Sony learns this.
Call of duty attracted me when I was still young, and those days the game was actually not bad.
Now older and wiser, this game has hit rock bottom and should have died off many years ago, rather than try to implement extremely small changes to try and remain relevant.
When you observe and look at it as a whole, gotta ask why is ppl playing the very same game over and over with just a simple change in the title only. There are of course new generation of gamers, young as I was and first time experiencing CoD, and this is how I feel the game itself is still alive, so inevitably there will be a fall from those who has experienced this franchise from their start of the cod journey but all leaving based on their very own personal opinions and views as you'll read above all 45 posts.
"You'll want to be lost in a game that is great, innovative, or simply amazes you, but you'd have lost so many years with the same franchise repeating itself. It's like waking up for the past 10yrs doing the exact same thing over and over,".
What's a guy gonna play? There seem to have been very few releases worth my time/money of late.
It was funny the other day because everyone(well the haters who can't wait for their company to get COD) were laughing at SONY because of all of this & now their mighty COD is doing the same You couldn't make this up, you really couldn't +Once COD goes Gamepass it will end up like HALO & just rubbish now with basic features you have to wait years for so MS can keep you on Gamepass. I really HOPE Microsoft doesn't get Activision. Oh well.
feral1975 wrote:
Surprisingly some of their numbers ARE staying about the same. Sony Gaming revenue in Q1 2022 is almost the same as Q1 2020 & 2021 and still up about 30% on pre-lockdown figures.
They absolutely are looking to capitalise on that lockdown gaming fervour, but it isn't happening in all metrics: both engagement and profit are down, even if revenue is high.
Off topic: What is NPD still mentioned in different articles? Nevada Police Department? Nottingham Police Department? Network Police Department? ... why it is Police Department? and why Police analyze gaming data?
@johnny30 can tell you never touched it. Leave off.
I’ve been a video gamer since the 1970’s so covid lockdown we didn’t increase my game time - I game DAILY….but, I’ve stopped playing COD last year. Why? Simple - 18 YEARS of pretty much the same gameplay - run & gun, camp & scope - it’s gotten played out - Boring! Why should I buy a game every year - just to eventually play Nuke town 24/7 etc…. COD basically has “jumped the shark long ago” 🤷♂️
@Notoriousmakavel the thing is cod has never had any realistic sort of tone to it and it never will either.
Well maybe they changed things about cod, maybe more people would play it.
Bo1 was the best in terms of sniping, it made qs quite difficult which I enjoyed because you shouldn't be able to qs.
Still making knives, throwing knifes etc one hit kills.
Stop with the operators and over the top skins.
Stop with jump shooting, slide shooting etc.
Stop with the stupid things like snoop dog, terminator etc aswell, that just cries desperation.
Stop with all this "meta" trash aswell, that never used to influence cod, so why should it these days.
Stop with the recycled content aswell, I don't want to play maps like rust etc for the 100th time.
Take a bit more of a realistic approach instead of the over the top arcade shooter, have destructive environments, have weapons handle more realistic, more realistic movements etc.
They need to look back at what made cod4/waw/bo1/mw2 and think what made them great.
@get2sammyb ..... So Sony based their PC port push based on Covid statistics projections not taking into acount that Covid will pass .......
I hopd this puts a break on more PC ports and Sony goss back to exclusively focusing on the PlayStation brand
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