Summary
Sony Groupshares achieved an all-time high earlier this week at 3,338 yen ($22). The historic closing price breaks a 24-year-old record forSonyand was apparently driven by optimism surrounding the company’s PlayStation division as it heads into a potentially very profitable year.
PlayStation is Sony’s highest-earning division by far, accounting for around one-third of the company’s earnings. The rest is divvied up between other Sony businesses like film and TV, anime, music, consumer electronics, etc. Earlier this year, Sony announced that the currentPS5 console generation is its most profitable ever, matching the PS4’s cumulative earnings in less than four years. Moreover, with blockbuster game releases lined up for the latter half of the PS5’s lifecycle, including many from PlayStation’s major in-house studios, Sony shareholders are likely very optimistic about the company’s massive projected earnings.
This optimism was reflected in Sony Group’s share price earlier this week on Tuesday, whichclosed at an all-time high of 3,338 yen ($22)thanks to an assessment from Australian financial firm Macquarie. The assessment projected increased operating profits for Sony’s upcoming fiscal year, set to commence in April 2025. A key reason behind Macquarie’s revision washigher anticipated earnings from games developed by PlayStation first-party studiosin the coming years. Sony confirmed during its last earnings call that it expects torelease major single-player PlayStation games every yeargoing forward.
Huge Profitability Spike Expected for Sony Thanks to Major Upcoming PlayStation Games
Ambition and budgets for AAA games have ballooned in recent years, subsequently leading to longer development times. PlayStation had a strong first-party presence in the first two years of the PS5 generation with games likeGod of War Ragnarok,Gran Turismo 7,Returnal,Horizon Forbidden West,Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, etc. Since 2023, though, Sony’s only notable single-player releases have beenSpider-Man 2andAstro Bot. Both of them were successful, but demand formajor new PlayStation gameshas been bubbling, especially from prominent studios like Naughty Dog, Santa Monica Studio, Guerrilla Games, and more.
These PlayStation studios have multiple projects in the works, with many of them having spent a long time in development. Therefore, it’s very likely that they’ll be ready for release in the years to come. With Sucker Punch’sGhost of Yoteiconfirmed for 2025, it remains to be seen ifSony has other tentpole PlayStation first-party games planned for next year. Aside from first-party, though, Sony is set to profit heavily from massive third-party titles likeGTA 6, which is slated for release in fall 2025 and expected to be a huge PS5 system seller.
PlayStation 5
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is part of the ninth console generation and debuted with a launch lineup that included Demon’s Souls and Astro’s Playroom. The console comes with a Blu-ray disc, although a digital-only edition is also available for a cheaper price.
