PS5 Players Are Buying Fewer New Games, But Spending More Than Ever Overall 1

One difference between the PS5 and PS4 is the rise of live service games. A dirty word among the most engaged enthusiasts, this is not a genre but merely a business model; it means titles are designed to evolve and improve over time, as opposed to offering one-and-done experiences. And it’s changing consumers’ relationship with their games, as demonstrated by this slide from PlayStation’s business segment meeting overnight.

To date, players have spent 26 per cent more on PS5 than PS4 launch aligned, totalling $731 million compared to $580 million. This is despite a 12 per cent decline in full-game sales. So, what’s changed? Well, add-on spending (otherwise known as microtransactions) has increased an eye-watering 176 per cent, meaning people are ultimately buying fewer new games but spending more within the ones they already own.

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PS5 Players Are Buying Fewer New Games, But Spending More Than Ever Overall 2
Image: Sony

It should be noted that Sony has also successfully grown PS Plus subscription revenue by 57 per cent, and it’s making more money from accessories like PS Portal, too. But the big change between this generation and the previous one is the sheer amount of money players are pumping into ongoing titles like Fortnite, Genshin Impact, and Call of Duty. It’s a seismic shift to the way the console monetisation operates, but it helps illustrate why PlayStation has been looking for its own live service hit.

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[source sony.com]